The Kenyan government has distanced itself from controversial remarks made by Trade Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria regarding the ongoing war in Sudan.
Kuria, in a tweet on Sunday, May 14, 2023, suggested that the African Union should marshall a strong army to bomb Khartoum to act as a lesson to other countries experiencing instability.
But in a statement on Monday, Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing'oei dismissed the CS's remarks terming them as personal.
In what appears like an attempt to avert a possible diplomatic tiff with Sudan, the PS insisted that Kenya would continue to support efforts to resolve the Sudan crisis peacefully.
"The personal views expressed by @HonMoses_Kuria do not represent government policy on this complex and challenging issue. We continue to work with all parties towards peaceful resolution of the #SudanCrisis @ForeignOfficeKE," Sing'oei tweeted.
Kuria had argued that “appeasement does not pay off.”
"The Sudan lesson is simple. The community of nations should militarily invade any country where armies overthrow government. Appeasement does not pay off. Military juntas do not become democrats simply because of the false principle of non interference. The AU can Marshall a strong enough army to bomb Khartoum to smithereens," the controversial minister tweeted.
The Sudan lesson is simple. The community of nations should militarily invade any country where armies overthrow government. Appeasement does not pay off. Military juntas do not become democrats simply because of the false principle of non interference. The AU can Marshall a…— CS Moses Kuria (@HonMoses_Kuria) May 13, 2023
More than 400 people have so far been killed and over 3,700 others injured in Sudan’s conflict involving rival military factions.
The conflict pitting Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) has paralysed Sudan's economy and strangled its trade, aggravating a ballooning humanitarian crisis with the United Nations (UN) saying on Friday that 200,000 people have now fled into neighbouring states.
Last month, Kenya offered to host a process of mediation between warring parties in Sudan as East African Community member states take the lead in bringing peace to the country.
In a statement on Friday, April 21, President William Ruto said Kenya has a strong track record in effectively facilitating peacemaking and settlement of political conflict in the region.
"To support further progress in the peaceful resolution of the conflict in Sudan, Kenya hereby offers to host a process of mediation between the parties to the Agreement.
"We make this offer in the spirit of brotherhood, peace, and solidarity as an acceptable neutral venue and also as an engaged stakeholder well-seized with the challenges facing our region," he said.
