In an interview with Spice FM, Peter Kagwanja, a former advisor to Kenya’s third President Mwai Kibaki has contended that Musalia Mudavadi is unfit to serve as the Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary.
His remarks came after Musalia Mudavadi endorsed comments made by Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu regarding the detention and later deportation of Kenyan activists who tried to enter Tanzania.
Peter Kagwanja remarks that Mudavadi is and should remain a Prime Cabinet Secretary and has no business with the Foreign Affairs Ministry.
“Mudavadi is, to all intents and purposes, a Prime Minister. He has no business serving as the Minister for Foreign Affairs,” he says.
He further advises that the Foreign Affairs Ministry needs to be staffed with better people with an understanding of the sensitivity and complexity of the respective relations.
Mudavadi not a better option for the Foreign Affairs docket
“The entire bureaucracy within that ministry needs to be staffed with people who fully understands remarks he terms diplo the sensitivity and complexity of foreign relations.”
In the interview, Kagwanja terms diplomacy as a game where one’s statement means a lot and can be used against them.
“Diplomacy is a game where you tell someone to go to hell and he waits for the trip to hell and reminds you when are we going to hell,” Peter Kagwanja narrates.
Additionally, Kagwanja mentioned that other successful diplomats previously in the docket, like Lawrence Munyua Waiyaki, who served from 1974 to 1979 and Sam Ongeri, who was there shortly before Mudavadi came in, needs time.
Successful people in the foreign affairs docket
“To be a Munyua Waiyaki or Ongeri and all those people who have manned our docket, it takes time,” He explains
Also Read: Mudavadi Blames Kenyans for Being Deported by Suluhu, Reveals Mwangi& Whereabouts
“It takes time to make networks with people on the continent, internationally and regionally, and that is where we find our respected people,” he explained.
Commenting on the deportation of PLP Leader Martha Karua, Peter Kagwanja added that Martha Karua is not an ordinary person citing her previous positions as Kenya’s Justice Minister and a presidential candidate.
“Martha Karua is not your ordinary woman in the street, she was the presidential candidate, a minister for justice and water and a lawyer,” Kagwanja noted.
Alternatives for addressing the current issue by Mudavadi
The Foreign Relations expert further questioned the adherence to EAC treaties, which allows free movement of citizens across borders.
According to him, officials in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs ought to have come out publicly to assure that talks between Kenya and Tanzania were ongoing to facilitate Mwangi’s release.
Also Read: Mudavadi Explains Why Kenya Allowed Besigye Abduction
His remarks came amid uproar over the government’s reluctance to respond to the detention of Activist Boniface Mwangi in Tanzania.
Prime CS Musalia Mudavdi was on the spot after he backed President Samia Suluhu’s remarks stating that activists from a foreign country had crossed over to interfere with the country’s internal affairs.
In an interview on Citizen TV, Mudavadi said Kenya could not do much over the detention or deportation of Kenyans from Tanzania, terming it an internal issue. But critics called the government out for acting promptly to ensure safety of a Kenya citizen.
“Somebody in the foreign affairs docket needed to raise a finger and say they are talking to Tanzania on the issue,” Kagwanja noted.
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