JeremyVickers
FULL MEMBER
- Joined
- Dec 2, 2024
- Messages
- 297
- Reaction score
- 0
- Country
- Location
Kenya has long been seen as a regional leader in diplomacy and peacekeeping, frequently hosting peace negotiations for warring factions throughout Africa. Yet just as the same questions were being asked here about whether there would be no dog in the fight after all, there was a whole procession of machinations keeping the country anything but impartial in the regional behemoths slinging weapons up and down and side to side at each other.
Immediately in the wake of the move, it drew anger, not just from the Sudanese government, but also from international players such as Turkiye and Saudi Arabia. Sudan’s official government, which is dominated by the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), even withdrew its ambassador from Kenya and accused the administration of President William Ruto, who visited Israel, of siding with a faction perpetrating “the ongoing genocide.”
The RSF’s signing of a document known as the “Sudan Founding Charter,” in Nairobi, exacerbated the row. This document establishes the framework for a rival government in RSF-controlled territory, which includes sections of Khartoum and Darfur. Analysts say Kenya’s hosting of a high-profile RSF meeting has ruined Kenya’s long-held image of a neutral mediator.
“This is a diplomatic blunder that will require time to redress,” says Abdullahi Boru Halakhe, a Kenyan policy expert.
It is also speculated that Kenya’s economic deals with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) — thought to support the RSF — may have shaped Nairobi’s position. In January, Kenya and the UAE signed a significant investment agreement that included a $1.5 billion loan to prop up Kenya’s budget. Kenya claims impartiality, but the optics tell a different story.
That action incensed the Congolese government, which has long accused M23 of destabilizing the eastern parts of the DRC. Kenya was then heading a regional force in the country under the East African Community (EAC) regional bloc. But officials in the DRC accused Kenyan peacekeepers of being too tolerant of M23 rebels rather than going after them.
When an M23 leader, Bertrand Bisimwa, and a former chief of the Congolese election commission turned rebel, Corneille Nangaa, revealed a new political alliance in the lobby of a Nairobi hotel, Kinshasa’s exasperation boiled over. The DRC government insisted that Kenya detain the rebel leaders, but Ruto refused, saying that Kenya does not arrest people for making political utterances.
This, however, only exacerbated tensions between Kenya and the DRC, which later threw out the EAC peacekeeping force, accusing it of not doing enough to halt M23’s progress. Also since then, the rebel group has pursued its military operations, displacing hundreds of thousands of people and killing thousands more.
“Kenya is not anymore perceived as a neutral broker,” says Congolese analyst Kambale Musavuli. “By interacting with armed groups in this manner, the Ruto administration has put Kenya’s credibility into regional affairs at risk.”
Kenya’s role as a peacemaker or a peacebreaker is still up for debate. But one thing is evident — its recent diplomatic maneuvers are altering the country’s place in the politics of Africa.
Kenya’s Relationship with Sudan’s RSF Is Causing a Stir
In February, a gathering in Nairobi featured neither Kenyan politicians nor international officials, but representatives aligned with Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). At the meeting, taking place in the Kenyan capital, the RSF and its allies also discuss the formation of a new government, a Sudanese flag hanging inside the hall.Immediately in the wake of the move, it drew anger, not just from the Sudanese government, but also from international players such as Turkiye and Saudi Arabia. Sudan’s official government, which is dominated by the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), even withdrew its ambassador from Kenya and accused the administration of President William Ruto, who visited Israel, of siding with a faction perpetrating “the ongoing genocide.”
The RSF’s signing of a document known as the “Sudan Founding Charter,” in Nairobi, exacerbated the row. This document establishes the framework for a rival government in RSF-controlled territory, which includes sections of Khartoum and Darfur. Analysts say Kenya’s hosting of a high-profile RSF meeting has ruined Kenya’s long-held image of a neutral mediator.
“This is a diplomatic blunder that will require time to redress,” says Abdullahi Boru Halakhe, a Kenyan policy expert.
Ruto’s Friendship with RSF Leaders
Some analysts suggest that President William Ruto’s connections with RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan “Hemedti” Dagalo might explain Kenya’s perceived alignment. Ruto received Hemedti in Nairobi in early 2024, a visit condemned by the Sudanese authorities. Compounding concerns, Ruto was later spotted traveling with Abdulrahim Dagalo, Hemedti’s brother and RSF deputy commander, during a visit to South Sudan.It is also speculated that Kenya’s economic deals with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) — thought to support the RSF — may have shaped Nairobi’s position. In January, Kenya and the UAE signed a significant investment agreement that included a $1.5 billion loan to prop up Kenya’s budget. Kenya claims impartiality, but the optics tell a different story.
The DRC Dispute: Yet Another Diplomatic Row
And Kenya’s diplomatic approach has squared off with scrutiny beyond Sudan. A similar controversy arose in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in late 2023 when rebel leaders from the M23 group, a militia accused of grave human rights abuses, met in Nairobi.That action incensed the Congolese government, which has long accused M23 of destabilizing the eastern parts of the DRC. Kenya was then heading a regional force in the country under the East African Community (EAC) regional bloc. But officials in the DRC accused Kenyan peacekeepers of being too tolerant of M23 rebels rather than going after them.
When an M23 leader, Bertrand Bisimwa, and a former chief of the Congolese election commission turned rebel, Corneille Nangaa, revealed a new political alliance in the lobby of a Nairobi hotel, Kinshasa’s exasperation boiled over. The DRC government insisted that Kenya detain the rebel leaders, but Ruto refused, saying that Kenya does not arrest people for making political utterances.
This, however, only exacerbated tensions between Kenya and the DRC, which later threw out the EAC peacekeeping force, accusing it of not doing enough to halt M23’s progress. Also since then, the rebel group has pursued its military operations, displacing hundreds of thousands of people and killing thousands more.
Kenya’s Evolving Role in Regional Politics
Kenya has historically been a neutral host for peace talks. From mediating in Somalia to joining past Sudanese peace talks, the country has accrued a reputation as a diplomatic powerhouse." However, recent events indicate a change of approach under President Ruto’s leadership.“Kenya is not anymore perceived as a neutral broker,” says Congolese analyst Kambale Musavuli. “By interacting with armed groups in this manner, the Ruto administration has put Kenya’s credibility into regional affairs at risk.”
Walking the Line Between Diplomacy and Self Interests
Kenya has emerged as a key player in various corridors of power, but its engagement with different actors has, according to critics, sent mixed signals, with Kenya insisting that it is pursuing peace. This perception of Kenya's siding with the rebels in both Sudan and DRC cannot be undone, and might affect Kenya's international relations for decades to come.Kenya’s role as a peacemaker or a peacebreaker is still up for debate. But one thing is evident — its recent diplomatic maneuvers are altering the country’s place in the politics of Africa.
