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Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua is in Kigali, Rwanda, leading a Kenyan delegation for the 30th commemoration of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi.
The Deputy President arrived on Saturday afternoon at Kigali International Airport and was received by Rwanda Minister of Justice and Attorney General Dr. Emmanuel Ugirashebuja and Kenya High Commissioner to Rwanda Amb. Janet Mwawasi Oben. In Nairobi, the DP was seen off by the Chief of Defence Forces Francis Ogolla.
Mr Gachagua, who will represent President William Ruto, will join Heads of State and Government, envoys and heads of delegations and the people of Rwanda at the commemoration dubbed ‘Kwibuka 30’ tomorrow, (Sunday April 7, 2024) and later visit the Genocide Memorial site.
The Deputy President is leading a delegation which include Members of Parliament, Principal Secretary State Department for the Diaspora Affairs Roseline Njogu and two university student leaders. The students are Justise Badali, president of Murang’a University of Technology and Ngugi Mwaura a student leader at Pwani University.
The MPs accompanying the Deputy President include Deputy Majority Leader in the National Assembly Owen Baya (Kilifi North), Edward Muriu (Gatanga), Veronicah Maina (Nominated Senator), Patrick Munene (Chuka Igamba-Ng’ombe), Julius Rutto (Kesses), Parashina Samuel (Kajiado South), John Kaguchia (Mukurwe-ini), Benjamin Langat (Ainamoi), Agnes Pareiyo (Narok North) and former Starehe MP Charles Njagua Njagua.
The theme of this year’s Genocide Commemoration is “Remember-Unite-Renew”. This will mark the start of week-long activities commemorating the Genocide that claimed over one million lives in 100 days (from April to July 1994).
Upon arrival, the Deputy President will meet and engage with Kenyans living and working in Rwanda for dinner at Serena Hotel in Kigali on Saturday evening.
“As Association of Kenyans living in Rwanda, we are happy to meet the Deputy President for the second time and address diaspora affairs with him. We are glad he is committed and is creating time to meet Kenyans in diaspora and address challenges of their welfare,” Mr Newton Wandera, a Kenyan living and working in Rwanda said. He is the treasurer of the Association of Kenyans Living in Rwanda.
Among other issues, the discussions will focus on improving the diaspora experience, investment across various sectors as outlined under the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda.
Apart from explaining what the Ruto administration is doing to increase efficiency registration and renewal of documents, the Deputy President will also share plans of close involvement of Kenyans in diaspora in trade, democratic processes and governance of the country.
Already the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs is engaged in public participation on the Kenya Diaspora Policy 2024. The Diaspora engagement will also be part of the platform of listening the Kenyans in Rwanda.
There are about 8,000 Kenyans living and working in Rwanda, although only 4,300 are documented.
The Government wants to ensure that all Kenyans in this East Africa State are on record.
The Ruto Administration has been strengthening diplomatic relations with African States and beyond as one of the ways of improving remittance through direct investment back home by Kenyans abroad. This is besides increasing bilateral trade.
In 2022 Kenya recorded exports to Rwanda worth Ksh40.9 billion and imports worth Ksh3.4 billion. The Balance of Trade of Ksh37.5 billion was in favour of Kenya.
President Ruto has been emphasising that foreign Missions must be focused on economic diplomacy.
This is important, especially as the country undertakes reforms in the Agriculture Sector and production is on the increase, more so in Tea and coffee- led by the Deputy President.
In past engagements with the envoys and in diaspora meetings, Deputy President Gachagua has said performance of envoys is pegged on the economic gain to the country, insisting that only those who deliver on this requirement will be considered upon expiry of their contracts.
