Kwabe Victor
President Uhuru Kenyatta on Thursday attended the inauguration of Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, exuding confidence that Kenya and Somalia will work together in promoting regional peace and stability.
Speaking during the inauguration ceremony held in Mogadishu, President Kenyatta said Kenya desires to consolidate and forge closer relations for the good neighbourliness, socio-economic cooperation and regional stability which is in the best interest of the people of the two countries.
Kenya President Uhuru Kenyatta, incoming Somalia President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, outgoing President Mohamed Farmaajo, Ethiopian PM Abiy Ahmed and Djibouti leader Omar Ismael Guelleh. [Twitter/ State House]
“Indeed, Kenya recognizes that our stability and economic wellbeing are dependent on the stability and economic wellbeing of Somalia and the region.”Comments President Uhuru.
“A peaceful and prosperous Federal Republic of Somalia is the dream of every Kenyan. Your brothers and sisters in Kenya look forward to working with you so that we can all benefit economically and prosper together,” President Kenyatta said as he congratulated President Mohamud.
President Kenyatta commended President Mohamud, who he said has worked with before, for his dedication and commitment to peace and stability.
“I am confident that working together, we shall succeed in delivering our dream of a peaceful, prosperous Federal Republic of Somalia, a peaceful and prosperous Kenya, and a peaceful and a prosperous region,” President Kenyatta said.
The Head of State welcomed the peaceful transition of power, affirming Kenya’s commitment to collaborating and supporting the newly inaugurated Somali President as he champions the development agenda of the Federal Republic of Somalia.
The inauguration ceremony was also attended by Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Djibouti President Omar Ismael Guelleh while other countries including Uganda, Egypt, and South Sudan sent high-powered delegations.
President Kenyatta was accompanied by Cabinet Secretaries Peter Munya (Agriculture) and Eugene Wamalwa (Defence).
Local khat [Miraa] traders are also set to resume exporting the commodity to Somali after the lifting of a two-year ban which saw them lose out on earnings.
This was revealed by Agriculture CS Peter Munya who accompanied the president to Somalia.
He announced that the country’s new president Hassan Mohamud agreed to lift the ban on miraa imports from Kenya.
CS Munya also revealed that negotiations have been finalized and what is remaining is the signing of a deal which is set to take place in the next two weeks, a move that will see the resumption of the Miraa trade between the two countries.
Former Somali President Mohammed Farmaajo suspended Miraa imports from Kenya two years ago citing COVID-19 restrictions.
This was also bounded by the diplomatic raw that saw both countries recalling their special envoys back home.
