Uhuru’s Secretary speaks on forcing diplomats to send congratulatory messages

mary kulundu

November 22, 2017 10:03 AM

Were diplomats forced to send congratulatory messages to Uhuru?

Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Monica Juma has come out to clear the air over controversies surrounding congratulatory messages purportedly sent to President Uhuru Kenyatta by foreign envoys.

On Tuesday, Kenyans on social media cast doubts on the congratulatory messages to Mr. Kenyatta after the Supreme Court upheld his re-election, with a section of the public stating that the Foreign Affairs Ministry was coercing the diplomats to send the messages.

Other speculations also indicated that the Ministry in conjunction with the Presidential Strategic Communication Unit (PSCU) were forging the messages to create an illusion that foreign countries were supporting Mr. Kenyatta’s re-election.

However, Ms. Juma thwarted the allegations noting that the ministry had not forced any diplomat to send congratulatory messages.

"In an interview with the Nation, Juma said: “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.”

On Monday Statehouse Spokesperson Manoah Esipisu confirmed to journalists that 40 countries had congratulated President Kenyatta.

“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,” Esipisu stated.

A congratulatory message by Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shared by the PSCU sparked a heated debate as the letter was dated November 2nd, yet Kenyatta's victory was upheld by the Supreme Court on November 20th.

mary kulundu