House spokesperson Hussein Mohammed has denied that Tanzania President Samia Suluhu came to Kenya to mediate over the impasse between President William Ruto and Opposition Chief Raila Odinga.
Raila on Tuesday said President Suluhu came into the country two weeks ago to mediate over the bi-partisan talks with the Kenya Kwanza faction.
He told the international media that Suluhu was left hanging for the two days she was in the country and no mediation of the bi-partisan talks took place.
“She was kept waiting. We were available but the other faction was not available. Suluhu spent two nights here but it was all in vain,” Raila said.
However, Mohammed on Wednesday responded to the allegations insinuating there was no official invitation to Suluhu.
He also intimated that the Tanzanian President could have been in Kenya on holiday if the claims are true.
The State House spokesperson said for every president who comes to Kenya, there are established protocols handled by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“So, they will communicate and they handle all the protocols. Of course, they will know that a president or visiting Head of State has come to meet the President.
“But that is not to say a president can come to our country or cannot come to our country for a holiday or whatever,” Mohammed said.
He said for all presidents that have come to meet President Ruto, it has been documented.
“We have all seen that several heads of state have come to meet the President through established protocols in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“Hio ingine, ndugu yangu, aliyesema alikua hapa, (Those other allegations, my brother, the one who said she was here) I think that that is the best person to address that question,” Mohamed said.
He was responding to a question posed by a journalist after his press briefing about President Ruto’s five-day tour of the Coast region.
-The-Star
