CS Kuria Misses Another Key US Trade Talks, Raising Questions
Trade Cabinet Secretary missed yet another crucial US-Kenya trade event, raising further concerns about his lack of participation in US trade events.
This is not the first time that the outspoken CS has missed a significant business engagement. On July 19, Kuria was absent from a trade discussion between Kenya and the United States, which was led by Katherine Tai, the United States Trade Representative.
At a press briefing following the discussions, Tai instructed journalists to inquire with Kenya as to why Kuria was not present, leading to rumors that the CS’s previous remarks were the cause.
On Thursday, former Trade CS Adan Mohamed and current Economic Advisor to President William Ruto, Adan Mohamed, shared a photo of himself leading a trade delegation at an occasion where US Ambassador Meg Whitman was also present.
“Leading the Kenya Delegation to the US- Africa Trade & Investment Roundtable in Chicago, USA,” he noted.
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Since assuming the position of CS, Kuria has engaged foreign nations and businesses in trade negotiations, frequently publicizing them on social media.
However, he has been conspicuously absent from US-led negotiations, for which the Kenyan government has not explained.
Kuria is among the CSs who have traveled the most, alleging at one point that he was representing the president and assisting Kenya in securing advantageous manufacturing deals.
Kuria is known for speaking his mind and occasionally uttering words that irritate a portion of Kenyans, something that, according to insiders, could have irritated the United States.
The United States is one of Kenya’s main export markets, with garments produced in the country’s leading Export Processing Zones (EPZs) accounting for the majority of exports to the world’s largest economy.
Kuria’s exclusion also occurs as the country negotiates a free-trade agreement with the United States before the expiration of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa) in 2025.
CS Kuria Misses Another Key US Trade Talks, Raising Questions