Sudan drops plan to kick out envoy

Sudan’s President Omar Al-Bashir has agreed to drop all the planned sanctions on Kenya and reverse the decision to recall his country’s envoy following talks in the capital, Khartoum.

Mr Bashir withdrew the decision to kick out Kenya’s ambassador to Khartoum Robert Mutua after talks with Foreign Affairs Minister Moses Wetang’ula and his Defence counterpart Yusuf Haji.

Speaking after arriving to Kenya on Friday, Mr Wetang’ula said Mr Bashir had agreed to drop tough sanctions he had threatened to impose on Kenya following a High Court ruling requiring the Internal Security Minister to arrest President Al-Bashir and hand him over to the International Criminal Court (ICC) if he comes to Kenya.

Mr Wetang’ula revealed that Mr Bashir had planned to impose tough sanctions on Kenya including expelling about 1,000 Kenyans living in the country, including 500 students.

He also planned to ban Kenyan flights from flying over Sudan’s airspace, as well as outlaw Kenyan exports to his country.

“We had very fruitful deliberations and explained our position. He has agreed to drop all the planned sanctions,” Mr Wetang’ula said.

The ICC has issued a warrant of arrest against Sudan’s president for allegedly committing war crimes in Darfur.

But in what is likely to stoke the controversy further, Mr Wetang’ula also extended an invitation to the Sudanese leader to attend the forthcoming Igad meeting on the Comprehensive Peace Agreement between the North and South to be held in Nairobi.

He did not specify the date of the meeting.

“We recognise that President Al-Bashir is a critical player in the CPA, and that is why we are inviting him to attend the meeting,” the minister said.

Mr Bashir reacted angrily to the Monday ruling by High Court judge Nicholas Ombija. He ordered Kenya’s envoy to Khartoum to leave the country within 72 hours and also recalling Sudan’s ambassador to Kenya.

The minister reiterated that the government would appeal the ruling and had already identified a team of lawyers to undertake the task.

“We feel that the judge did not conduct himself properly,” he stated.

The minister, however, denied that the Executive was intimidating the Judiciary by criticising the ruling.