How cancellation of President Kenyatta's US trip caught many by surprise

LOS Angeles, California
News that President Uhuru Kenyatta’s trip to the United States had been cancelled caught many by surprise and threw the Kenyan Embassy in Washington DC and the Los Angeles consulate into a spin on Friday, the Nation has learnt.

The trip was cancelled at the last minute following what state House referred to as “increased military activity in Yemen.”

A source at the Kenyan Embassy Washington DC said everything was going as per plan until the Mission was informed of the surprise development.

“The President’s schedule throughout his stay in California had been finalized. His hotel was ready and all other arrangements, including his security detail while in the state of California were all elaborately done ” said the source who sought anonymity as she is not authorized to speak to the media Friday.

“As you are aware, this is unprecedented and we are in contact with the foreign affairs office in Nairobi seeking guidance on how to handle the issue going forth,” she added.

Our efforts to reach Kenya’s ambassador to the US, Mr Robinson Njeru Githae, were unsuccessful as his cell phone went unanswered.

On Thursday night, the president’s plane was re-routed back to Nairobi on security fears in Yemen. The plane had been scheduled to fly over the Yemen airspace en-route to Dubai where the president had been scheduled to take an Emirates commercial flight to the United States.

“Following reports of increased military activity in Yemen, there was a challenge on the routing leading to a decision to turn back," said State House spokesman Manoah Esipisu.

State house spokesperson, Manoah Esipisu Friday confirmed the cancellation of the trip.

The US trip aimed to market Kenya as an attractive foreign investment destination at the Milken Institute Global Conference, which takes place from April 26th to 30th in Los Angeles, California.

A spokesperson at Milken Institute told the Nation on Friday that the event organisers had not received official Communication on the cancellation of the Kenyan President’s trip.

PRESIDENT KAGAME

Following the new development, only president Paul Kagame of Rwanda would attend the conference as a sitting head of state.

During his trip, the president had also been scheduled to meet with Kenyans in Los Angeles on Saturday, April 25th.

A 1300-capacity ballroom at Hilton Los Angeles Airport had already been booked to capacity by Kenyans who were eager to meet president Kenyatta and his entourage.

In anticipation of the president’s visit, the Embassy had posted the following on its website on Thursday evening: “We wish to inform you that the above mentioned event is now full to capacity. A total of 1,300 people have registered. We look forward to a successful and engaging discussion with the President.”

Hundreds of Kenyans from across the US had already travelled to the venue of Saturday’s meeting while others were preparing to do so following an appeal by Ambassador Githae asking those able to travel to Los Angeles to do so as “that the president looks forward to meeting you.”

“I am already here at the Los Angeles Hilton Hotel,” said journalist Denzel Musumba who travelled from Maryland intent of covering the event.
Some Kenyans took to the social media to express their views over the issue.

“Our air force took the president (sic) through a war zone in Yemen, confused, they had to return him to Nairobi, that to me is real breaking news,” said Atlanta based Jacob Waweru Mayo in a Facebook post on Friday.

This is embarrassing, tweeted John Kinga. “Wasn’t it public knowledge that Yemeni airspace was a war zone?” he wondered.

Our efforts to reach the acting Consul General in Los Angeles, Ms Anne Mbugua, for comment were unsuccessful as she was said to be held in meetings.

“A lot of resources and time have gone into preparations for this aborted visit. But all we can say is that it was not meant to be. This obviously was an unforeseen eventuality and we have to deal with it as such,” said an official at the consulate Friday.

The 2015 Milken Global Conference is a premier event which is expected to attract over 3,500 political and business leaders from around the world who will discuss the current global challenges and how to overcome them.