Musalia Mudavadi Clarifies Nomination of Goma Consul after DRC Rejected Her
- On Friday, August 15, President William Ruto nominated Judy Kiaria as the consul general to the rebel-stricken region of Goma in the eastern part of the DRC
- This move was followed by resistance from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), which rejected Ruto's pick
- Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi has addressed the matter, setting the record straight on the current state of issues
Faith Chandianya, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings over three years of experience covering politics and Current Affairs in Kenya
The Prime Cabinet Secretary, Musalia Mudavadi, has finally broken his silence after the Democratic Republic of Congo disapproved of President William Ruto's designation of a new consul general in Goma.
Source: Facebook
This followed a decision by the head of state to nominate Judy Kiaria to serve as the consul general of the eastern part of the DRC.
The DRC raised concerns that the nomination had not followed due process.
Search option is now available at TUKO! Feel free to search the content on topics/people you enjoy reading about in the top right corner ;)
Did Kenya consult DRC in Judy Kiaria's appointments?
In a statement dated Monday, August 18, Musalia clarified the matter, stating that the presidential nomination does not in itself constitute a diplomatic posting.
He argued that, according to Kenya's Constitution, once a nominee selected by Ruto receives approval from parliament, the country will seek approval from the government the consul general will be sent before making any postings.
"In line with the Constitution of Kenya, diplomatic practice and protocol, once the nominee receives parliamentary approval, Kenya shall formally request Agrément or acceptance by the applicable host states, including the DRC, before diplomatic posting. In the case of Goma, the process will further require issuance of an Exequatur or authorisation by the Government of DRC before Kenya's Consul-General may assume official duties," Musalia's statement read in part.
He affirmed that the country's constitution allows the president to nominate and, with the National Assembly's approval, appoint high commissioners, ambassadors and the diplomatic and consular representative.
At the same time, he argued that the head of state also has the power to dismiss the nominated officers.
In a bid to explain that the process is transparent, Mudavadi affirmed that following his recent nominations, Ruto forwarded the names of the nominated individuals, including the consul general, for approval in parliament.
"This is the transparent, meticulous, and democratic process that Kenya has consistently adhered to in full conformity with our Constitution, diplomatic practice and international norms. The objective of the recent realignment in Kenya's Foreign Service is to optimise performance and enhance service delivery in line with our Bottom-up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA)."
"It is not driven by adverse geopolitics nor intended to undermine ongoing regional peace efforts or the territorial integrity and sovereignty of any state. Kenya remains firmly committed to the peace initiatives in the DRC, including the joint EAC-SADC-AU initiative, where we serve as co-chair," Mudavadi added.
How is the Kenya-DRC relationship?
The Prime Cabinet Secretary, who also doubles up as the Foreign Affairs CS, stated that he held conversations with his DRC counterpart, who is the Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Francophonie Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner.
He stated that Kenya has long-standing diplomatic relations with the DRC for a mutually beneficial partnership.
"Kenya and DRC have enjoyed long-standing diplomatic relations since independence in 1963. Kenya established its resident diplomatic representation in Kinshasa in 1968, while the DRC opened its resident Mission in Nairobi around the same time. Notably, DRC has operated a Consulate in Mombasa since 25th September 2023, while Kenya inaugurated its Consulate General in Goma on 1st March 2022. This affirms the deepening bilateral ties for a mutually beneficial partnership. Indeed, several countries, both in Africa and outside the continent, have established diplomatic presence in Goma to deepen ties and facilitate commercial partnerships," he said.
Mudavadi further emphasised Kenya's commitment to respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the DRC.
Inside Musalia Mudavadi's conversation with DRC minister
Wagner and Musalia had a phone conversation with Mudavadi regarding the matter.
Source: Facebook
Their phone conversation was aimed at strengthening the ties between Nairobi and the DRC.
However Kinshasa reiterated its position on having its sovereignty respected. agner affirmed that the issue of Goma would not be negotiated outside the set terms.
Proofreading by Jackson Otukho, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
