Uhuru's team badly embarrassed by London media
The media house exposed worrying details about Uhuru's team, a day after the Supreme Court ruling.
The reputable Business and Politics weekly publisher in a widely read article claimed that Foreign Affairs and Trade Cabinet Secretary Amb Amina Mohammed’s team wrote an email to British foreign secretary Boris Johnson asking for a “suitable congratulatory message.”
“Following the Supreme Court of Kenya ruling early today and which has upheld the victory of President Kenyatta, I am kindly requesting your indulgence in preparing and dispatching a suitable congratulations message. I am at hand for any quick consultations,” the quoted by Kenyan ambassador to Brussels Johnson Weru as saying in the e-mail sent to senior foreign ministry officials.
In a rejoinder to the deemed ‘damaging article’ by the publisher, however, Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Monica Juma said that the congratulatory messages were coming in on their own, unsolicited.
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“From where we sit, the Supreme Court win is a re-affirmation of President Kenyatta’s August 8 win. Generally, everybody is commending the country for following the course of the rule of law. That is the general reaction. Actually, many of them (countries) are saying: Let’s move on,” Ms Juma, told a local daily on phone.
She added that the messages were expected following what she said was an affirmation of the rule of law through the protracted elections dispute the country went through, with twice having the courts being asked to determine whether President Kenyatta’s election was free and fair.
Commenting on the article by the London based media, she affirmed: “Officially, we do not communicate through e-mail, that is not the format in diplomacy. If the Financial Times is interested in any information, our High Commission in London is open for them.”
Earlier, in an address to the press following the ruling of the Supreme Court on Monday Government Spokesperson Mr Manoah Esipisu who spoke at Nairobi’s State House on Tuesday, clarified that over 40 countries from across the world - which he did not disclose - had sent a congratulatory message to Uhuru Kenyatta on his re-election, a contestation that has sparked controversy and mistrust from a section of Kenyans.
“Some of you have asked about how many countries have congratulated the President on his re-election. As of yesterday (Monday), we can confirm that more than 40 countries had done so. The Foreign Ministry will release details in due course. Essentially, these congratulatory messages are normally channeled through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,” Mr Esipisu said in a state owned television live broadcast.
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