Kenyan Senate Speaker’s Social Media Misstep Sparks Diplomatic Tensions with Somalia
Senate Speaker Amason Kingi was compelled to remove a statement from X, previously known as Twitter, on Tuesday due to a diplomatic mistake that had the potential to cause tension between Kenya and Somalia.
In the removed post on his X profile, Kingi disclosed information about his encounter with a Somaliland representative, whom he identified as the ambassador to Kenya.
In doing this, he acknowledged Somaliland as a separate nation, prompting Kenya’s Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary, Korir Sing’oei, to address Kenya’s stance on the country’s independence.
Sing’oei clarified that Somaliland was considered a part of Somalia and had a representative office in Nairobi, emphasizing that it wasn’t recognized as an embassy.
“It is Kenya’s established and unchanging foreign policy, consistent with the African Union, that only the Federal Republic of Somalia is the recognized State entity.
“Somaliland, a region within the Federal Republic of Somalia, has a liaison office for commercial purposes in Nairobi. This office is not an embassy,” he stated.
Alternatively, the Principal Secretary also emphasized to the parliamentary leaders that they lacked the authority to control Kenya’s foreign policy. Nonetheless, he acknowledged Parliament’s role in overseeing this process.
Somalia has not yet responded to the situation. Nevertheless, Kingi’s deletion of the statement might help avoid any possible disagreement with the East African Community (EAC) nation.
Kenya has previously faced a diplomatic dispute with Somalia concerning its stance on Somaliland.
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In June 2020, the government had to convey apologies following the departure of Somalia’s ambassador from a gathering hosted at State House by former President Uhuru Kenyatta.
During a gathering for international diplomats, delegates from Somaliland were included as attendees, prompting Somalia to interpret Kenya’s action as an acknowledgment of Somaliland’s sovereignty as an independent nation. Additionally, the flag of Somaliland was raised during the event.
President Ruto’s administration has encountered numerous diplomatic blunders, notably when the President personally tweeted that Kenya would cease acknowledging the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), which encompasses the Western Sahara region governed by the Polisario Front in exile in Algeria.
His announcement came shortly following Sahrawi President Brahim Ghali’s presence at his inauguration held at Kasarani on September 13, 2022. Contrarily, he expressed backing for Morocco’s efforts to maintain control over the SADR (Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic).
Therefore, Kenya emerged as the sole African country to openly express endorsement for Morocco, aligning itself with the United States and Israel in this stance.
The country has also taken different stances in the Russian invasion of Ukraine, supporting both countries at different junctures. Moreover, it was among the few African countries to support Israel in its war with Palestinian militants, Hamas.
Kenyan Senate Speaker’s Social Media Misstep Sparks Diplomatic Tensions with Somalia
