Former Chief Justice Willy Mutunga has weighed in on President William Ruto’s plan to abolish any visa requirement while traveling to Kenya.
In a statement on X on Monday September 4, the former Chief Justice stated that Kenyans should have been involved in the decision through public participation.
Mutunga pointed out that Kenyans exercise their direct sovereign power in such cases.
“Kenyans should demand public participation in all these decisions. How do we use our direct sovereign power if not in cases like this?” he posed.
The former CJ was responding to activist Boniface Mwangi after he said that the government should explain a policy to Kenyans before implementing it.
“Ruto announced VISA-free without reciprocity without involving us. Ruto is changing our foreign policy. The budget deficit from visa fee collections will be paid by us,” Mwangi posted.
Speaking on Monday during the opening of the Africa Climate Summit at KICC Nairobi, President Ruto said it was unfair to ask one of the Visa requirements when they were coming home.
“We are having a conversation as Kenyans in a few months. We are seriously considering abolishing any visa requirement because it is unfair to ask anybody coming home for visas,” Ruto said.
The Head of State in May during the African Private Sector Dialogue Conference on Free Trade, told the African delegates that, that might be the last time they will pay for visas to visit the country.
“This is home. We wholeheartedly support the AfCFTA and we must remove any impediments to the movement of people around our continent,” Ruto noted.
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