Kenya Senate Speaker Amason Kingi has been accused of recognising the self-declared republic of Somaliland as an independent nation, thus going against national policy.
On Tuesday, Speaker Amason Kingi shared on social media that he had met with Somaliland’s “ambassador to Kenya”.He said the pair had met to explore “new avenues for collaboration and partnerships between our governments”
.Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’Oei was among the officials and citizens who said Mr Kingi wrongly acknowledged Somaliland’s government in his since deleted post.“It is Kenya’s established and unchanging foreign policy, consistent with African Union, that only the Federal Republic of Somalia is the recognised State entity,” said Mr Sing’Oei.“
Somaliland, a region within the Federal Republic of Somalia, has a liaison office for commercial purposes in Nairobi. This office is not an embassy”.
The speaker has also been criticised for meddling in the affairs of national government by engaging in foreign policy, which falls outside the direct jurisdiction of the senate.
Somaliland seceded from Somalia in 1991 but it is not recognised internationally as an independent state, including by the UN and African Union.
There was a heated debate at the Senate on Wednesday afternoon with Senators hitting at the Principal Secretary over his remarks following the meeting between Kingi and the Somaliland envoy. The Senators have sanctioned the PS over his remarks and summoned him.
Kingi and Somaliland Ambassador to Kenya Mohamed Ahmed Mohamoud had discussed promotion of the ties between two nation.
Statement Speaker of Kenya Senate Hon Kingi posted on this Twitter were as follows;
Kenya and the Republic of Somaliland enjoy ties that stretch back to days under British colonial rule which bequeathed them almost similar systems and structures of governance at independence.
These relations have in recent decades been deepened and strengthened through bilateral engagements that have yielded great benefits to the citizens.
It is against this cordial and fraternal backdrop that I met in my office at Parliament Buildings this afternoon, H.E. Dr Mohamed Ahmed Mohamoud, the Somaliland Ambassador to Kenya, during which we explored new avenues for collaboration and partnerships between our governments and their various institutions, including Parliaments of the two countries.
We deliberated on the need to enhance trade between Kenya and Somaliland by facilitating easy movement of people and commodities between the two countries, which can be greatly bolstered by allowing direct flights between Nairobi and Hargeisa. I committed to take up the matter with the relevant arms of government, and explore ways in which Parliament can support such positive engagements.
