Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi has formally written to United States Senator Jim Risch explaining Kenya’s position following President William Ruto’s recent visit to China.
Speaking on Tuesday, May 21, Mudavadi said he wrote a letter to Risch detailing the context in which President Ruto made remarks during his China visit.
Mudavadi explained that the President’s remarks had been taken out of context, and Kenya’s foreign policy remains anchored in mutual respect and balance.
The Prime CS also noted that he has invited the U.S. Senator to visit Kenya for a more detailed conversation.
“When Kenya engages or talks, it should not be taken out of context. I have written a formal letter to the Senator explaining Kenya’s position and getting him to appreciate the context in which the statement he is alluding to was made. I have invited him, if he pleases, to come to Kenya and have a more detailed conversation,” Mudavadi stated.
He further stated that Kenya, being a sovereign state, has the freedom to select its allies and decide how to collaborate with them.
“We are a sovereign state, no matter our size or the state of our nation, there is one thing that we must always safeguard, the sovereignty of our state, the right to choose our friends and how to work with our friends, that is a principle that we must always uphold,” Mudavadi stated.
Senator Risch, speaking on May 15, questioned Kenya’s loyalty following President Ruto’s recent trip to China.
Risch said that the US government should exercise restraint with African nations, such as Kenya, that maintain “troubling” ties with China.
He described President Ruto’s remarks in China as shocking, noting that they came barely a year after Kenya was designated a US non-NATO ally.
“Just last month, President Ruto declared that Kenya, a major non-NATO ally, and China are ‘co-architects of a new world order.’ That’s not just alignment to China; it’s allegiance.
“Relying on leaders who embrace Beijing so openly is an error. It’s time to reassess our relationship with Kenya and others who forge tight bonds with China,” he stated.
