Uhuru Kenyatta invites British PM David Cameron to visit Kenya

Monday September 7, 2015

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President Uhuru Kenyatta has invited UK Prime Minister David Cameron to visit Kenya in what could yet again catapult the country into international limelight.

The invitation comes barely a month after Kenya hosted US President Barack Obama. Officials confirmed President Kenyatta had asked Mr Cameron to visit Kenya early next year for bilateral and multilateral talks. Sources at the Office of the President and Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that a letter has already been dispatched to the British PM.

A copy of the letter dated July 22, 2015 says Kenya is satisfied that the two countries' relations, which are based on historical bonds, have been warm and cordial. "It is therefore my desire that we deepen these bonds of friendship and fraternal co-operation further, for the mutual benefit of our peoples."

"In this regard, it is my pleasure to extend to you Prime Minister an invitation to make a State visit to Kenya in the early part of 2016. The visit will accord us an opportunity to consult on a wide range of issues of mutual interest at the bilateral and multilateral levels," reads the letter signed by the President.
It is not clear if Cameron has responded to the invitation but impeccable sources said he is likely to visit Kenya "soon".

The move comes at a time when Kenya and Britain have been in a stalemate over British military training programmes in the country, whose current phase lapsed months ago. Issues that have caused the deadlock include failure to agree on which of the two countries holds jurisdiction to prosecute British soldiers who may break the law while training in Kenya.

Seeking immunity The UK has been seeking immunity for its soldiers so that those who break the law are transported to Britain for prosecution, while Kenya wants them to face charges locally.
.The pact allowing the British Army to train in parts of Laikipia and Samburu counties ended in April, but Kenya granted an extension of six months meaning it will lapse again by end of the year.

The deal allowed about 10,000 UK soldiers under the British Army Training Unit in Kenya (Batuk) to conduct military exercises locally. Diplomatic relations between Kenya and some Western nations have on numerous occasions been strained due to travel advisories issued by the countries.

The relations were also strained because of the ICC cases against the President and his deputy William Ruto. Uhuru's charges have been dropped while Mr Ruto is still before the court. The visit by Obama marked a climax and a score for Kenya as he brought with him more than 2,000 delegates who attended the Global Entrepreneurship Summit in July in Nairobi. Earlier, the Prime Minister of Italy Matteo Renzi also visited Kenya and pledged to mobilise Italians to invest in Kenya.

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