{{A small group of Kenyan MPs critical of president Uhuru Kenyatta have criticised what they said was a “red carpet” reception given to South Sudanese rebel leader Riek Machar during a six-day visit to the country last week.}}
The South Sudanese former vice president and armed opposition leader was invited to the State House in Nairobi and was warmly welcomed by President Kenyatta during which the two leaders discussed way forward in the peace process in South Sudan between the rebel group and president Salva Kiir’s government.
However, five MPs protested on Thursday a week after Machar’s visit, saying the honoured reception given to the rebel leader was an insult to the South Sudanese sitting elected president in the name of President Salva Kiir.
The protesting legislators included Kibra MP Ken Okoth, Wajir South MP Abdulahi Diriye, Ndhiwa MP Agostinho Neto, Matungulu MP Stephen Mule and Senator Daisy Kanaiza.
“South Sudan still has a legitimate government headed by His Excellency Salva Kiir, his problems notwithstanding. Kenya should therefore be working with the elected leaders of South Sudan,” Kenyan Daily Nation quoted the MPs as saying.
The MPs also said any talks held in Kenya should be attended by “both President Kiir and Dr Machar to avoid creating suspicions.”
“It is bad that a rebel leader in the person of Dr Machar should be given red carpet reception in Nairobi as that might portray Kenya as a partial peace arbiter,” they argued.
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