Germany's Merkel set for Kenya visit

Germany Chancellor Angela Merkel is scheduled to make a State visit to Kenya in two weeks time.

A statement from Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s office said the Chancellor will hold a joint press conference with the PM on July 12.

“On July 12, 2011, Prime Minister Raila Odinga will hold a joint media briefing in Nairobi with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who will be visiting the country,” the PM’s spokesman Dennis Onyango said.

The Chancellor is expected in the country on July 11 and it was not clear yesterday the duration of her visit.

Ms Merkel took over as Chancellor in 2005 before being re-elected in 2009.

She made her first four-day visit to Africa in 2007 where she spoke about ways to fight disease and poverty and to improve human rights.

She toured Ethiopia, South Africa and Liberia. At the time she visited wearing the hats of a humanitarian, a corruption-fighter and a peace-maker as well as the head of the Group of Eight industrialised nations, aiming to address issues of poverty, disease and human rights.

Reports then indicated that German industry was dissatisfied, and puzzled as to why a number of countries -- such as Angola, Kenya and Nigeria -- that were desperate for foreign investment to fuel their rapid growth were not included as destinations on Merkel's brief tour.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy and US President Barrack Obama are among Western leaders who have visited Africa in recent years.

Kenya enjoys good relationship with Germany which has been funding a number of development projects in the country, through among others-the German Technical Cooperation, GTZ.

Sources told the Nation,Ms Merkel is to hold bilateral talks with her local counterparts.

The talks are expected to emphasise the importance of good governance and reform.

The Chancellor, the source said, will be seeking to build not only stronger political and economic relationships with Kenya, but to cooperate more fully in the area of development. Kenya has been seeking to emulate German’s system of devolved government and invited experts from the country prior to constitution referendum.

Meanwhile, Mr Odinga was expected to leave the country Tuesday night for a visit to Germany and the United Kingdom.

“The PM is, however, not scheduled to meet Merkel during the visit to Germany,” Mr Onyango said.

The PM, Mr Onyango said, will be out for a week and is scheduled to hold discussions with UK's Prince Charles on the final modalities for the funding of the restoration of Lake Naivasha.

He is also slated to meet other leaders, Mr Onyango said.