Governor Anyang' Nyong'o Urges Kenya To Cut Ties With Israel
The governor in a statement on Tuesday, November 14 lamented that the conflict pitting Israel against Palestine has had a ripple effect on many countries across the world.
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Kisumu Governor Peter Anyang’ Nyong’o has urged Kenya and the African Union (AU) in general to immediately cut diplomatic ties with Israel.
The governor in a statement on Tuesday, November 14 lamented that the conflict pitting Israel against Palestine has had a ripple effect on many countries across the world.
Nyong'o accused Israel of already planning to scale up attacks on Gaza and the West Bank which could worsen what is viewed as a dire humanitarian crisis.
Smoke and fire billowing during the Israel-Palestine conflict. /BROOKINGS INSTITUTION
"It is now clear that Zionist Israel, much against the interest of all progressive forces in the Arab world and Israel Herself, is planning a major bloody invasion of Gaza and the West Bank sooner rather than later. This will worsen the already grave humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the West Bank," Nyong'o addressed in his letter to the AU, in which Kenya is also a member state.
He also warned progressive forces in Africa against watching the Israel-Hamas crisis grow a shade worse.
"Progressive forces in Africa, led by the African Union, cannot stand by and let this happen.
"We would like to appeal to the African Union to call upon all its member governments to immediately break diplomatic relations with Israel in solidarity with our comrades in Gaza and the West Bank," Nyong'o added.
His statement came days after President William Ruto weighed in on the Israel-Palestine conflict which has seen violence in the Palestinian-Gaza Strip as Israel retaliates to an October 7, 2023 attack by the militant group Hamas.
During a Saturday meeting of African leaders with the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in the Saudi capital Riyadh, Ruto said Kenya believes neither terrorism nor occupation is the answer to any conflict, which is viewed as an apparent change of heart from his previous stand on the Israel-Palestine war.
“We believe that terrorism cannot be an answer to any conflict; neither is occupation,” Ruto told the convention of mainly pro-Palestine leaders who had gathered to discuss Africa-Saudi relations.
“We believe that Palestine should be a free state and we stand for a two-nation solution as a means of resolving the conflict.”
On Sunday, October 7, the Head of State issued a strong condemnation of the attack by Hamas, terming them as acts of terrorism that pose a significant threat to international peace.
“Kenya joins the rest of the world in solidarity with the State of Israel and unequivocally condemns terrorism and attacks on innocent civilians in the country. Kenya strongly maintains that there exists no justification whatsoever for terrorism, which constitutes a serious threat to international peace and security,” he asserted on X (formerly Twitter).
Ruto reiterated that all acts of terrorism and violent extremism are abhorrent, criminal, and unjustifiable, regardless of the motives behind them.
He further called upon the international community to swiftly mobilize and hold not only the attackers but also their organizers, financiers, and supporters accountable for their actions. He also called for the immediate cessation of violence.
