File image of Iran President Ebrahim Raisi.
Nairobi Kenya- Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua has explained why Iran President Ebrahim Raisi’s state visit to Kenya was postponed.
In a statement on Tuesday July 11, CS Mutua stated the meeting was postponed to allow the Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) between Kenya and Iran to be reviewed.
The Foreign Affairs CS however stated that President Raisi will arrive in the country on Wednesday Morning and proceed to hold bilateral talks with President Ruto at State House.
“The schedule of the President has now been reviewed to allow for finalization of key MoUs that are central to the furtherance of relations. The Iranian President will now arrive tomorrow for a State Visit,” said Mutua.
He added, “The President will be at State House at 7.00am tomorrow for a bilateral meeting.”
According to the top diplomat, President Raisi will proceed to lay a wreath at the late President Jomo Kenyatta’s Mausoleum before leaving the country for his African tour.
“He will, thereafter, proceed to lay a wreath at the Mausoleum of the late Mzee Jomo Kenyatta before proceeding to tour other African countries,” the statement added.
President Ruto and Raisi were scheduled to have a meeting on Tuesday at State House then proceed to address the media.
The meeting was however canceled at the last minute.
The red carpet had been rolled out, tents had been set up, and everything was ready for the Iranian President’s visit, only for the meeting to be canceled.
According to multiple reports, the cancellation of the meeting angered President Ruto with senior State House officials being fingered for the mess.
The postponement of the meeting also led to speculation of a diplomatic tiff between Kenya and Iran.
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