Geza Ulole
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In His Own Words - President Kenyatta's Take On Issues of the Day
June 20, 2016 (2 days ago) 3:19 pm
President Uhuru Kenyatta sat down with Kenyan reporters to field questions on the questions of the day including why Kenya has taken the decision to close the Dadaab camp/FILE
INTERVIEW By Olive Burrows
Nairobi — During his recently concluded trip to Belgium President Uhuru Kenyatta sat down with Kenyan reporters to field questions on the questions of the day including why Kenya has taken the decision to close the Dadaab camp, his role as Jubilee party leader and as Head of State in ensuring that Kenya does not slide down the same slippery slope it did in 2008 and why he didn't take the decision by Uganda to construct its oil pipeline through Tanzania and not Kenya, personally.
You met with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon on your trip to Belgium what was the outcome of your talks on the closure of Dadaab?
Kenya has been, with good reason, subject to so much international scrutiny on matters refugee. First, I think it is important for us to know that we already have a tripartite agreement to govern the repatriation of refugees; that is already in place, as much as it is about to expire. Kenya is just demanding that this tripartite must be executed within a clear time frame and timeline so that the people who have been refugees can actually be integrated back into their local communities in Somalia and to be able to continue with their lives and to have hope, dignity that cannot be given to them in a refugee camp.
We have agreed that we all have to work together to find a process of how we can establish the return of these people to their homes in a dignified and humane way. And we shall continue to work together with the EU, our international development partners, the Somali government and the regional governments to ensure that this is done in the shortest possible time, so that our key focus with our Somali brothers and sisters can be, on developing peace, stability and prosperity for our common people in a secure environment, which we need to provide.
What we are trying to explain as Kenya is that Kenya is not shying away from her international obligations. Kenya recognises her role in welcoming those who are running away from problems. And we shall continue to respect that position. But what Kenya is saying especially in regard to the Dadaab camp issue is that we now have over 23 years been hosting these people. These are people who have had an opportunity through UNHCR and other international organisations to have been given an education. They've been born and grown up in these camps. But these are people who now have matured, who have no hope, who have nowhere to go who have no further hope in life because they are living in these camps. And we are basically trying to say that we must move the discussion from being merely about feeding people and hosting people, to a scenario, where we need to look at these people as human beings with ambition and hope in life, right? And we need to be able to create an environment for these people back in their home country. Where these young people can exert their energies and their efforts to developing and building their country, fulfilling their ambitions, as opposed to living their hopeless lives in camps.
Because it is that hopelessness that is making them a breeding ground for terrorists who then, come and become a problem to the rest of the country. And so what we are saying is that we have no intention of moving these people in a manner that defies their dignity, human rights or endangers their lives. But we need the world to begin to recognise that we can no longer just continue sitting back and saying "Okay, let these people continue living in camps because there is a problem in Somalia". We need, together, to tackle whatever the problem is in Somalia, so that we can give hope and live back to these kids so that they can become positive developers of our region and the world, as opposed to becoming a negative force because they have lost the desire and will and the hope to live. And that is the theme.
As Jubilee party leader, are you going to set a standard, for what rhetoric is acceptable and not acceptable ahead of 2017?
I think I have made my position very clear. Kenyans have gone through a lot of difficulty, especially after the 2007/2008 post election violence that led to loss of life, property, displacement of people and I believe Kenyans made a very strong statement when we came to pass the 2010 constitution that Kenya will never go back to those difficult times. Now, whereas I uphold and continue to uphold the right, as I have said severally in the past, of protecting people's rights and freedoms. Those rights and freedoms cannot be at the expense of other peoples' rights and freedoms. Just as I have stated severally, if our colleagues wish to demonstrate, it is their right to do so. Inform the police, what time your demonstration is going to start, which route you are going to pass, what time you expect to end and where you expect to address your people, but be peaceful and do not interfere with the rights of others, do not destroy property, and you shall be protected, to fulfil your rights in accordance with our Constitution. But we shall not allow you to infringe on the rights of others. Equally, we will not say it but it is true, and I will say it. We all know that the problems that we had in 2007/2008 was not that the Kenyan people do not wish to live together in peace and harmony. But what happened is as a result of inciteful statements by politicians, that led to clashes between communities, people who live together as neighbours, and we have equally a clear law that states, that hate speech and inciteful statements cannot and will not be allowed or hate between communities will not be allowed. And my position is that those statements, be they coming from CORD, be they coming from Jubilee, be they coming from whoever, will not and shall not be entertained. Those who choose to walk that path will face the full force of the law. And that has been my position, it is not something new, I have said it severally and that shall be the way it will be, so long as I am President.
Over the past few weeks we've seen Kenyans killed and property destroyed in protests aimed at forcing a change of guard at the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission; witnessing this, what was your reaction?I keep repeating, you know, our problem is that we just have such short memories. Even a week for some of us is too long. I have always been saying clearly, that I have never had a problem. And I challenge you to go back and look at your own tapes. Going back to two, three months ago. I have always made it very clear, please just go and take a look at our Constitution, and the provisions therein on how to deal with these issues. Let us follow those provisions. For one reason or another, we have continued to say that this means that I am not willing to dialogue. Here we are again, almost two months down the road, and what are we doing? We are dealing and resolving the issues within the provisions of the Constitution, like I said almost two months ago. So I think all I am basically trying to say is that we have a solution to a lot of our problems, if only we were to follow the rule of law. There is no reason for us to be out there in the streets to achieve what the law and the Constitution has already given us.
But people are saying that we need to go back to IPPG. When going back to IPPG, people forget that the Constitution at that time had given the powers of appointment of commissioners to the then President. That was the situring his recently concluded trip to Belgium President Uhuru Kenyatta sat down with Kenyan reporters to field questions on the questions of the day including why Kenya has taken the decision to close the Dadaab camp, his role as Jubilee party leader and as Head of State in ensuring that Kenya does not slide down the same slippery slope it did in 2008 and why he didn't take the decision by Uganda to construct its oil pipeline through Tanzania and not Kenya, personally.
You met with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon on your trip to Belgium what was the outcome of your talks on the closure of Dadaab?
Kenya has been, with good reason, subject to so much international scrutiny on matters refugee. First, I think it is important for us to know that we already have a tripartite agreement to govern the repatriation of refugees; that is already in place, as much as it is about to expire
ation. So there was need to negotiate with the president, because, he is the one who had the powers. But this Constitution, is very clear, the President doesn't have those powers. And I believe that this is precisely what is happening right now.
Now, when we don't follow those procedures, when we now go and get our people excited, because maybe some don't fully understand, and it looks like so and so is refusing to talk. That is why I said, look, for the sake of bringing Kenyans together, I am willing to meet my colleagues, but even as we meet with our colleagues, it is to bring the country together but we can't engage in this particular subject, because engagement has to be where it belongs, which is what is happening right now. And I do hope that our colleagues will also, in good faith, because they are interacting now, sit down, create this committee, look into the issues, bring it to the floor of Parliament, and address the IEBC situation comprehensively, to the satisfaction of all parties, but most importantly, to the satisfaction of the 42 million Kenyans. And I, both as President and as an individual citizen of Kenya, will support whatever recommendations that they come up with, in order to be able to get a way forward.
Now, when it comes to this issue of loss of lives, and this is why I am saying, if again you want to demonstrate, you also have a responsibility of saying to your people, that "look, we want to demonstrate on IEBC, take them through a process of what a demonstration is, and that is why we keep saying, notify the police, because wherever you have seen an incident or problem, it is because supporters have gone out, as they gone out to attend a rally, either on their way there or on their way back, pelting Kondele Police Station. Now what does Kondele Police Station have to do with IEBC? So what happens there? The police are then forced into a situation where they have to react.
When you have a scenario like it happened in Migori where prison officers who were transporting prisoners from police stations to courts of law are also attacked. What do they have to do with IEBC? And it is this kind of confusion that results in actions being taken. Because then it is reported that it was part of the demonstration. When Naivas supermarket is being stoned and looted, what are police supposed to do? Should they say that "oh, no, this is part of the demonstration" and yet the management is saying "We are being looted, protect us because you policemen are meant to be protecting us". What does Naivas have to do with IEBC?
If we want to exercise the rights that are enshrined in the Constitution, then we also as leaders have a responsibility to also show our people how to exercise those rights; to also show our people, how to exercise them without infringing on other peoples' rights. And if we were to do that, there would be perfect peace. And that is what happened, if you recall, as much as there was no destruction where the CORD leadership was, in the last demonstration where they arranged their people on their own, there was no problem. But at the same time, as much as there is no problem, as their supporters went home, you saw the destruction that was done on matatus in Huruma, you saw the destruction that was done to kiosk owners on their way home. All I am saying is, exercise your rights but please also, show your people, that this is not combative. You know, once we have finished our demonstration, let us disperse peacefully, and there will not be a problem, there will not be tension.
I would like to end this particular conversation with, freedom comes with responsibility. You want to exercise your freedom, but you must exercise that freedom also in a responsible manner. If we were to do that as Kenyans, we would have peace. Nobody is being denied their right to exercise those freedoms, but we are just saying that we must be responsible.
Did you feel betrayed by Uganda's decision to export its oil through Tanzania and not Kenya? Is our position as the regional 'giant' threatened?
President Kenyatta: I look at it differently. I don't look as if there is any threat whatsoever. I am actually quite excited by the way that for the first time, we are starting to see major projects interconnecting the region actually happening. And I have always said that, my view of our region is a region not in competition with itself but complementing each other with a view of competing with the rest of the world. I do not see the central corridor as a threat to our northern corridor. I don't see it as a threat at all.
I actually believe that at same stage, right, looking into the future, that will be the way that we will interconnect our total infrastructure and truly be able to link up our African continent, alright and start focusing on intra-African trade with us as the people focusing our efforts on areas where individuals you know, are stronger and grow intra-Africa trade which today form a very, very negligible component of total trade that we do with the rest of the world. So to me, I have always said, let the central corridor be built and let us focusing on the northern corridor.
Let us focus on building the LAPSSET which will link us up with Ethiopia and ultimately up towards Cairo; this central corridor will link us down to Cape Town. Going up North we will link up eventually through Central Africa to the West African Coast. This infrastructure can only help linkages between African countries and help grow intra-Africa trade, alright.
When it comes to the pipeline, yes indeed we were disappointed because we thought we needed to do this as a regional project, right; but for whatever reasons our Ugandan counterparts thought that their best interests for whatever reasons might best served by going to the Port of Tanga that equally is their right. I thought and it was Kenya's position that it would have been more economical if we were to do it together following the North route which is through the Port of Lamu. But that doesn't take away from the fact that Kenya will continue also, alright, to develop that pipeline because ultimately we are developing that pipeline to take our product from Turkana and other potential areas that we have out to sea and into the market, alright and maybe like we've said before, we may end up finding all this pipelines linked up even as we now start developing our own refineries and other products, they may eventually link up, I don't know. We may eventually come back to one line.
It is interesting, countries take sometimes decisions that we all don't fully understand, right, but I don't think that should be taken away from them; I don't think that is something that we should take away from them because ultimately I think they will come back together, I don't think that we should fight about it. Yes, I would say it would have been preferable coming to the pipeline if we had done it together but may be one day we will be able to achieve that objective or if not, one day they will link and it will be beneficial to the region. So please let us, I know we have problems that ooh that person is doing this or that, let us open up. It’s just like how we are saying we want to focus on the road and Namanga Road is done linking us to Tanzania that should not mean that Tanzanians should not build a road that links them up to Burundi and ultimately into Rwanda.
That also does not mean that they should not build roads linking them to Uganda because we have a corridor, you see what am saying, wacha tufungue, we are now opening up our roads taking us to Moyale to link us to Ethiopia a market of eighty million people. That should create new and more trade opportunities, investment opportunities for our people. As I had said – I didn’t say it, Manoah is the one who announced it – that we have $500 million that we are negotiating over the next 17 months to open up our roads from Isiolo, Modogashe to Mandera to open up trade links and routes to Somalia. Let us improve the infrastructure that allows greater interconnectivity of the African continent. I will always be pro-that and will never see that as competition between countries because I believe it is complimentary and will be my attitude and that’s my focus. We are not in competition, we complement and we shall eventually complement one another with each country riding on its respective strength.
You met with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon on your trip to Belgium what was the outcome of your talks on the closure of Dadaab?
Kenya has been, with good reason, subject to so much international scrutiny on matters refugee. First, I think it is important for us to know that we already have a tripartite agreement to govern the repatriation of refugees; that is already in place, as much as it is about to expire
se let us, I know we have problems that ooh that person is doing this or that, let us open up. It's just like how we are saying we want to focus on the road and Namanga Road is done linking us to Tanzania that should not mean that Tanzanians should not build a road that links them up to Burundi and ultimately into Rwanda.
That also does not mean that they should not build roads linking them to Uganda because we have a corridor, you see what am saying, wacha tufungue, we are now opening up our roads taking us to Moyale to link us to Ethiopia a market of eighty million people. That should create new and more trade opportunities, investment opportunities for our people. As I had said - I didn't say it, Manoah is the one who announced it - that we have $500 million that we are negotiating over the next 17 months to open up our roads from Isiolo, Modogashe to Mandera to open up trade links and routes to Somalia. Let us improve the infrastructure that allows greater interconnectivity of the African continent. I will always be pro-that and will never see that as competition between countries because I believe it is complimentary and will be my attitude and that's my focus. We are not in competition, we complement and we shall eventually complement one another with each country riding on its respective strength.
We've witnessed an improvement in security as far as terrorist attacks are concerned. Siri ni nini?
Siri ya usalama, siri ya uchumi, siri ya jamii anything, ni kupata watu ambao kwa dhati wapenda kufanya kazi. Mtu kujua ya kwamba hakuna mtu ambaye ako na suluhu ya shida peke yake.
In his own words: President Kenyatta's take on issues of the day - Capital News
MY TAKE
There Uhuru acts selfish to dare considering Hoima to Tanga route not regional cause Kenya route was dumped! he should stop this arrogant thinking and humble himself since since he has a chance to connect Lokichar to Hoima-Tanga route, he should try to swallow his pride and undertake this noble approach! Hii dhambi ya ubaguzi itawamaliza wenyewe!
nomasana, sam999, NairobiWalker, hbuyosh, msemakweli, simplemind, Kimweri, Bulldog, MK254, Kafrican, Ngongo, Ab_Titchaz, mtanganyika mpya, JokaKuu, Ngongo, Askari Kanzu, Dhuks, Yule-Msee, waltham, Mzee, mombasite gabriel, Juakali1980, Boda254, mwaswast, MwendaOmo, Mwanakijiji, Iconoclastes, oneflash, Kambalanick, 1 Africa, saadeque, burukenge, nyangau mkenya, Teen-Upperhill Nairobi, kadoda11
June 20, 2016 (2 days ago) 3:19 pm
President Uhuru Kenyatta sat down with Kenyan reporters to field questions on the questions of the day including why Kenya has taken the decision to close the Dadaab camp/FILE
INTERVIEW By Olive Burrows
Nairobi — During his recently concluded trip to Belgium President Uhuru Kenyatta sat down with Kenyan reporters to field questions on the questions of the day including why Kenya has taken the decision to close the Dadaab camp, his role as Jubilee party leader and as Head of State in ensuring that Kenya does not slide down the same slippery slope it did in 2008 and why he didn't take the decision by Uganda to construct its oil pipeline through Tanzania and not Kenya, personally.
You met with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon on your trip to Belgium what was the outcome of your talks on the closure of Dadaab?
Kenya has been, with good reason, subject to so much international scrutiny on matters refugee. First, I think it is important for us to know that we already have a tripartite agreement to govern the repatriation of refugees; that is already in place, as much as it is about to expire. Kenya is just demanding that this tripartite must be executed within a clear time frame and timeline so that the people who have been refugees can actually be integrated back into their local communities in Somalia and to be able to continue with their lives and to have hope, dignity that cannot be given to them in a refugee camp.
We have agreed that we all have to work together to find a process of how we can establish the return of these people to their homes in a dignified and humane way. And we shall continue to work together with the EU, our international development partners, the Somali government and the regional governments to ensure that this is done in the shortest possible time, so that our key focus with our Somali brothers and sisters can be, on developing peace, stability and prosperity for our common people in a secure environment, which we need to provide.
What we are trying to explain as Kenya is that Kenya is not shying away from her international obligations. Kenya recognises her role in welcoming those who are running away from problems. And we shall continue to respect that position. But what Kenya is saying especially in regard to the Dadaab camp issue is that we now have over 23 years been hosting these people. These are people who have had an opportunity through UNHCR and other international organisations to have been given an education. They've been born and grown up in these camps. But these are people who now have matured, who have no hope, who have nowhere to go who have no further hope in life because they are living in these camps. And we are basically trying to say that we must move the discussion from being merely about feeding people and hosting people, to a scenario, where we need to look at these people as human beings with ambition and hope in life, right? And we need to be able to create an environment for these people back in their home country. Where these young people can exert their energies and their efforts to developing and building their country, fulfilling their ambitions, as opposed to living their hopeless lives in camps.
Because it is that hopelessness that is making them a breeding ground for terrorists who then, come and become a problem to the rest of the country. And so what we are saying is that we have no intention of moving these people in a manner that defies their dignity, human rights or endangers their lives. But we need the world to begin to recognise that we can no longer just continue sitting back and saying "Okay, let these people continue living in camps because there is a problem in Somalia". We need, together, to tackle whatever the problem is in Somalia, so that we can give hope and live back to these kids so that they can become positive developers of our region and the world, as opposed to becoming a negative force because they have lost the desire and will and the hope to live. And that is the theme.
As Jubilee party leader, are you going to set a standard, for what rhetoric is acceptable and not acceptable ahead of 2017?
I think I have made my position very clear. Kenyans have gone through a lot of difficulty, especially after the 2007/2008 post election violence that led to loss of life, property, displacement of people and I believe Kenyans made a very strong statement when we came to pass the 2010 constitution that Kenya will never go back to those difficult times. Now, whereas I uphold and continue to uphold the right, as I have said severally in the past, of protecting people's rights and freedoms. Those rights and freedoms cannot be at the expense of other peoples' rights and freedoms. Just as I have stated severally, if our colleagues wish to demonstrate, it is their right to do so. Inform the police, what time your demonstration is going to start, which route you are going to pass, what time you expect to end and where you expect to address your people, but be peaceful and do not interfere with the rights of others, do not destroy property, and you shall be protected, to fulfil your rights in accordance with our Constitution. But we shall not allow you to infringe on the rights of others. Equally, we will not say it but it is true, and I will say it. We all know that the problems that we had in 2007/2008 was not that the Kenyan people do not wish to live together in peace and harmony. But what happened is as a result of inciteful statements by politicians, that led to clashes between communities, people who live together as neighbours, and we have equally a clear law that states, that hate speech and inciteful statements cannot and will not be allowed or hate between communities will not be allowed. And my position is that those statements, be they coming from CORD, be they coming from Jubilee, be they coming from whoever, will not and shall not be entertained. Those who choose to walk that path will face the full force of the law. And that has been my position, it is not something new, I have said it severally and that shall be the way it will be, so long as I am President.
Over the past few weeks we've seen Kenyans killed and property destroyed in protests aimed at forcing a change of guard at the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission; witnessing this, what was your reaction?I keep repeating, you know, our problem is that we just have such short memories. Even a week for some of us is too long. I have always been saying clearly, that I have never had a problem. And I challenge you to go back and look at your own tapes. Going back to two, three months ago. I have always made it very clear, please just go and take a look at our Constitution, and the provisions therein on how to deal with these issues. Let us follow those provisions. For one reason or another, we have continued to say that this means that I am not willing to dialogue. Here we are again, almost two months down the road, and what are we doing? We are dealing and resolving the issues within the provisions of the Constitution, like I said almost two months ago. So I think all I am basically trying to say is that we have a solution to a lot of our problems, if only we were to follow the rule of law. There is no reason for us to be out there in the streets to achieve what the law and the Constitution has already given us.
But people are saying that we need to go back to IPPG. When going back to IPPG, people forget that the Constitution at that time had given the powers of appointment of commissioners to the then President. That was the situring his recently concluded trip to Belgium President Uhuru Kenyatta sat down with Kenyan reporters to field questions on the questions of the day including why Kenya has taken the decision to close the Dadaab camp, his role as Jubilee party leader and as Head of State in ensuring that Kenya does not slide down the same slippery slope it did in 2008 and why he didn't take the decision by Uganda to construct its oil pipeline through Tanzania and not Kenya, personally.
You met with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon on your trip to Belgium what was the outcome of your talks on the closure of Dadaab?
Kenya has been, with good reason, subject to so much international scrutiny on matters refugee. First, I think it is important for us to know that we already have a tripartite agreement to govern the repatriation of refugees; that is already in place, as much as it is about to expire
ation. So there was need to negotiate with the president, because, he is the one who had the powers. But this Constitution, is very clear, the President doesn't have those powers. And I believe that this is precisely what is happening right now.
Now, when we don't follow those procedures, when we now go and get our people excited, because maybe some don't fully understand, and it looks like so and so is refusing to talk. That is why I said, look, for the sake of bringing Kenyans together, I am willing to meet my colleagues, but even as we meet with our colleagues, it is to bring the country together but we can't engage in this particular subject, because engagement has to be where it belongs, which is what is happening right now. And I do hope that our colleagues will also, in good faith, because they are interacting now, sit down, create this committee, look into the issues, bring it to the floor of Parliament, and address the IEBC situation comprehensively, to the satisfaction of all parties, but most importantly, to the satisfaction of the 42 million Kenyans. And I, both as President and as an individual citizen of Kenya, will support whatever recommendations that they come up with, in order to be able to get a way forward.
Now, when it comes to this issue of loss of lives, and this is why I am saying, if again you want to demonstrate, you also have a responsibility of saying to your people, that "look, we want to demonstrate on IEBC, take them through a process of what a demonstration is, and that is why we keep saying, notify the police, because wherever you have seen an incident or problem, it is because supporters have gone out, as they gone out to attend a rally, either on their way there or on their way back, pelting Kondele Police Station. Now what does Kondele Police Station have to do with IEBC? So what happens there? The police are then forced into a situation where they have to react.
When you have a scenario like it happened in Migori where prison officers who were transporting prisoners from police stations to courts of law are also attacked. What do they have to do with IEBC? And it is this kind of confusion that results in actions being taken. Because then it is reported that it was part of the demonstration. When Naivas supermarket is being stoned and looted, what are police supposed to do? Should they say that "oh, no, this is part of the demonstration" and yet the management is saying "We are being looted, protect us because you policemen are meant to be protecting us". What does Naivas have to do with IEBC?
If we want to exercise the rights that are enshrined in the Constitution, then we also as leaders have a responsibility to also show our people how to exercise those rights; to also show our people, how to exercise them without infringing on other peoples' rights. And if we were to do that, there would be perfect peace. And that is what happened, if you recall, as much as there was no destruction where the CORD leadership was, in the last demonstration where they arranged their people on their own, there was no problem. But at the same time, as much as there is no problem, as their supporters went home, you saw the destruction that was done on matatus in Huruma, you saw the destruction that was done to kiosk owners on their way home. All I am saying is, exercise your rights but please also, show your people, that this is not combative. You know, once we have finished our demonstration, let us disperse peacefully, and there will not be a problem, there will not be tension.
I would like to end this particular conversation with, freedom comes with responsibility. You want to exercise your freedom, but you must exercise that freedom also in a responsible manner. If we were to do that as Kenyans, we would have peace. Nobody is being denied their right to exercise those freedoms, but we are just saying that we must be responsible.
Did you feel betrayed by Uganda's decision to export its oil through Tanzania and not Kenya? Is our position as the regional 'giant' threatened?
President Kenyatta: I look at it differently. I don't look as if there is any threat whatsoever. I am actually quite excited by the way that for the first time, we are starting to see major projects interconnecting the region actually happening. And I have always said that, my view of our region is a region not in competition with itself but complementing each other with a view of competing with the rest of the world. I do not see the central corridor as a threat to our northern corridor. I don't see it as a threat at all.
I actually believe that at same stage, right, looking into the future, that will be the way that we will interconnect our total infrastructure and truly be able to link up our African continent, alright and start focusing on intra-African trade with us as the people focusing our efforts on areas where individuals you know, are stronger and grow intra-Africa trade which today form a very, very negligible component of total trade that we do with the rest of the world. So to me, I have always said, let the central corridor be built and let us focusing on the northern corridor.
Let us focus on building the LAPSSET which will link us up with Ethiopia and ultimately up towards Cairo; this central corridor will link us down to Cape Town. Going up North we will link up eventually through Central Africa to the West African Coast. This infrastructure can only help linkages between African countries and help grow intra-Africa trade, alright.
When it comes to the pipeline, yes indeed we were disappointed because we thought we needed to do this as a regional project, right; but for whatever reasons our Ugandan counterparts thought that their best interests for whatever reasons might best served by going to the Port of Tanga that equally is their right. I thought and it was Kenya's position that it would have been more economical if we were to do it together following the North route which is through the Port of Lamu. But that doesn't take away from the fact that Kenya will continue also, alright, to develop that pipeline because ultimately we are developing that pipeline to take our product from Turkana and other potential areas that we have out to sea and into the market, alright and maybe like we've said before, we may end up finding all this pipelines linked up even as we now start developing our own refineries and other products, they may eventually link up, I don't know. We may eventually come back to one line.
It is interesting, countries take sometimes decisions that we all don't fully understand, right, but I don't think that should be taken away from them; I don't think that is something that we should take away from them because ultimately I think they will come back together, I don't think that we should fight about it. Yes, I would say it would have been preferable coming to the pipeline if we had done it together but may be one day we will be able to achieve that objective or if not, one day they will link and it will be beneficial to the region. So please let us, I know we have problems that ooh that person is doing this or that, let us open up. It’s just like how we are saying we want to focus on the road and Namanga Road is done linking us to Tanzania that should not mean that Tanzanians should not build a road that links them up to Burundi and ultimately into Rwanda.
That also does not mean that they should not build roads linking them to Uganda because we have a corridor, you see what am saying, wacha tufungue, we are now opening up our roads taking us to Moyale to link us to Ethiopia a market of eighty million people. That should create new and more trade opportunities, investment opportunities for our people. As I had said – I didn’t say it, Manoah is the one who announced it – that we have $500 million that we are negotiating over the next 17 months to open up our roads from Isiolo, Modogashe to Mandera to open up trade links and routes to Somalia. Let us improve the infrastructure that allows greater interconnectivity of the African continent. I will always be pro-that and will never see that as competition between countries because I believe it is complimentary and will be my attitude and that’s my focus. We are not in competition, we complement and we shall eventually complement one another with each country riding on its respective strength.
You met with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon on your trip to Belgium what was the outcome of your talks on the closure of Dadaab?
Kenya has been, with good reason, subject to so much international scrutiny on matters refugee. First, I think it is important for us to know that we already have a tripartite agreement to govern the repatriation of refugees; that is already in place, as much as it is about to expire
se let us, I know we have problems that ooh that person is doing this or that, let us open up. It's just like how we are saying we want to focus on the road and Namanga Road is done linking us to Tanzania that should not mean that Tanzanians should not build a road that links them up to Burundi and ultimately into Rwanda.
That also does not mean that they should not build roads linking them to Uganda because we have a corridor, you see what am saying, wacha tufungue, we are now opening up our roads taking us to Moyale to link us to Ethiopia a market of eighty million people. That should create new and more trade opportunities, investment opportunities for our people. As I had said - I didn't say it, Manoah is the one who announced it - that we have $500 million that we are negotiating over the next 17 months to open up our roads from Isiolo, Modogashe to Mandera to open up trade links and routes to Somalia. Let us improve the infrastructure that allows greater interconnectivity of the African continent. I will always be pro-that and will never see that as competition between countries because I believe it is complimentary and will be my attitude and that's my focus. We are not in competition, we complement and we shall eventually complement one another with each country riding on its respective strength.
We've witnessed an improvement in security as far as terrorist attacks are concerned. Siri ni nini?
Siri ya usalama, siri ya uchumi, siri ya jamii anything, ni kupata watu ambao kwa dhati wapenda kufanya kazi. Mtu kujua ya kwamba hakuna mtu ambaye ako na suluhu ya shida peke yake.
In his own words: President Kenyatta's take on issues of the day - Capital News
MY TAKE
There Uhuru acts selfish to dare considering Hoima to Tanga route not regional cause Kenya route was dumped! he should stop this arrogant thinking and humble himself since since he has a chance to connect Lokichar to Hoima-Tanga route, he should try to swallow his pride and undertake this noble approach! Hii dhambi ya ubaguzi itawamaliza wenyewe!
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