Deputy President William Ruto. FILE PHOTO | NMG The Ugandan government has distanced itself from Deputy President William Ruto’s aborted trip to the neighbouring country on Monday, saying it had not made official State plans to receive him.
In a statement Thursday, Kampala said it did not make protocol arrangements to receive Dr Ruto in line with diplomatic traditions.
“I was not informed by the chief of the protocol being requested by the Kenyan High Commission in Uganda to provide protocol services to the Deputy President,” Ugandan Foreign Affairs minister Henry Okello Oryem was quoted saying at a press conference in Kampala.
The Deputy President was blocked from flying to Kampala in what would have been his second trip to the neighbouring country in less than a month.
Kenyan Immigration officials had said there was no clearance for the trip. However, the Deputy President’s office insists Dr Ruto did not require any clearance because the visit was private.
Mr Oryem said Kampala has no interest in interfering in Kenyan affairs following allegations that the Deputy President had sought to fly to Uganda without informing his boss, President Uhuru Kenyatta.
“Our foreign policy is very clear that we don’t interfere in the internal affairs of any country whatsoever,” the Ugandan official said.
“We have no authority, we have no power over Kenyan government. They have their own reasons why they prevented His Excellency Ruto from coming to Uganda and that should be channelled to the Kenyan High Commission.”
Mr Oryem, however, did not clarify if Kampala had not prepared to receive Dr Ruto because he was planning “a private visit” or because they were not informed about the trip at all.
The statement by Uganda comes after ODM MPs, questioned the motive of the DP’s trip.
Led by National Assembly Minority leader John Mbadi and Minority chief whip Junet Mohamed, the legislators raised concerns about Deputy President’s frequent visits to Uganda and his dalliance with President Yoweri Museveni.The botched trip came barely a month after President Museveni hosted Dr Ruto. A liquor store in Nairobi. FILE PHOTO | NMG A new phenomenon in Nairobi’s estates is worrying residents.It seems every day regular businesses like salons, stalls selling new and second-hand clothes, grocery stores and fruit shops are being replaced by liquor stores.The number of wines and spirits shops licensed in Nairobi in 2020 has increased 274 percent compared to previous years, says Nairobi County liquor board CEO Hesbon Agwena.In […]