President trims list of delegates for US trip

President Uhuru Kenyatta. Mr Kenyatta reduced the number of delegates to accompany him to the United States for the US-Africa Leaders Summit in Washington, DC, by about 80 to cut costs. Photo\PSCU 

In Summary

• The President will push for assistance in re-engineering existing peace and conflict management and resolution structures and enhancing border security and surveillance units.
• Mr Kenyatta will also push for humanitarian assistance to South Sudan, which has been ravaged by conflict following between the government and rebels and also for the establishment of the Eastern African Standby Force.

By SAMUEL KARANJA

President Uhuru Kenyatta reduced the number of delegates to accompany him to the United States for the US-Africa Leaders Summit in Washington, DC, by about 80 to cut costs.

Sources indicate that the Head of State last Wednesday personally intervened to ensure that the number of people in his delegation, which at one time stood at 122, went down to about 40.

He will join other presidents and senior officials from about 50 nations in sub-Saharan and northern Africa who are expected to attend the summit.

A number of Cabinet Secretaries and Senate as well as National Assembly committee members will accompany the President.

Among the will be Cabinet secretaries Joseph ole Lenku (Interior), Henry Rotich (Treasury), Amina Mohamed (Foreign Affairs), Anne Waiguru (Devolution), Davis Chirchir (Energy), James Macharia (Health) and Michael Kamau (Roads).

It has not been revealed how much the trip will cost the Kenyan taxpayer.

A statement from State House said Kenya will use the trip to seek more help from the United States in combating national and regional terrorism and insecurity.

According to the Secretary of Communications and Presidential Spokesperson, Mr Manoah Esipisu, Kenya will look for more capacity building of internal security organs to respond to emerging threats and cooperation in eradicating organised trans-border crimes.

In addition, Mr Kenyatta will push for the implementation of the tripartite agreement on repatriation of Somali refugees, which Kenya signed with Somalia and the United Nations High Commission for Refugees.

The country will seek more help in boosting the United Nations –African Union in Somalia (UNAMISOM) forces in Somalia.
The country will look for logistics, air and maritime support assets for the African Union–led African Union in Somalia forces.

PEACE AND CONFLICT

The President will push for assistance in re-engineering existing peace and conflict management and resolution structures and enhancing border security and surveillance units.

“In particular, Kenya calls upon the US and the International Community to provide additional support in the IGAD [Inter-governmental Authority for Development] peace process in South Sudan, including the deployment of an IGAD Task Force under the expanded UNMISS [United Nations Mission in South Sudan],” Mr Esipisu said.

Mr Kenyatta will also push for humanitarian assistance to South Sudan, which has been ravaged by conflict following between the government and rebels and also for the establishment of the Eastern African Standby Force.

“Equally, the instability in the region has complicated Kenya’s internal security. To effectively address the new conditions, Kenya would like to partner with the United States in reforming the sector,” Mr Esipisu said.

Other areas Kenya will seek more ties in are trade, investment, energy and creation of a digitised national database.

“We expect to have productive discussion surrounding these issues, and the others mentioned, during our visit to the United States,” Mr Esipisu said.