Kenya has sought to ease concerns in Kinshasa after questions were raised about the country’s recent announcement of a Consul-General to Goma.
Prime Cabinet Secretary and Foreign Affairs CS Musalia Mudavadi clarified that the appointment announced by President William Ruto last week is not yet official. Speaking after engaging his Congolese counterpart, Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner, Mudavadi explained that Kenya is still following the laid-down procedures.
“Nomination by the President is only the first step,” he said. “The candidate must first go through parliamentary approval in Nairobi, and thereafter, we will request formal acceptance from the host country. For Goma, this also means securing an Exequatur from the DRC Government before the envoy can take up office.”
The remarks come after speculation that the move could strain ties between the two nations. Mudavadi, however, dismissed any suggestion of friction, stressing that Kenya’s redeployment of envoys is purely meant to improve service delivery and has nothing to do with geopolitics.
He reiterated Nairobi’s unwavering support for peace efforts in eastern DRC, highlighting Kenya’s role as co-chair in the joint EAC-SADC-AU initiative seeking stability in the region.
“Kenya values the sovereignty of the Democratic Republic of Congo,” Mudavadi noted, pointing to the decades-old relations between the two countries. “Since 1963, our cooperation has grown from consulates in Goma and Mombasa to full embassies in Nairobi and Kinshasa.”
Beyond diplomacy, he underlined that both nations share deep interests in trade, integration, and security.
“The opportunities before us are immense,” Mudavadi said. “We remain committed to building a partnership that strengthens prosperity for both our peoples.”
