from MARIA MACHARIA in Nairobi, Kenya
Kenya Bureau
NAIROBI, (CAJ News) – KENYA President, Uhuru Kenyatta, has called on Western nations to lift illegal sanctions against Zimbabwe.
Kenyatta argued the restrictions were illegal and hurting the Southern Africa nation.
“And this we consider to be unfair for these hardships were artificially created and we continue to call on the international community to remove these illegal sanctions,” the Kenyan president said.
He was speaking at the State House in Nairobi during a joint press briefing with his visiting Zimbabwe counterpart, President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
The two presidents led their respective delegations in bilateral talks.
Kenyatta assured Zimbabwe of Kenya’s continued advocacy to ensure that the restrictions are lifted.
During the talks, Kenya and Zimbabwe signed seven bilateral agreements, all memoranda of understanding (MOU) on political and diplomatic consultations; tourism and wildlife conservation; and civil aircraft accidents and serious incidents investigations.
Others were on women empowerment and community development; youth affairs; cooperatives; and sports and recreation activities.
Kenyatta said the agreements would enable Kenya and Zimbabwe to cooperate in addressing challenges facing them particularly youth unemployment.
Mnangagwa reiterated his Kenyan counterpart’s call on the international community to lift sanctions placed upon his country, terming the restrictions as unilateral.
He said his visit to Kenya was aimed at deepening the bilateral relations between Nairobi and Harare.
“My visit to Kenya is aimed at consolidating our relations by refocusing our cooperation to increase bilateral trade, investment, tourism, transport, science and technology and innovation among other aspects such as defense and security matters,” Mnangagwa said.
Western nations slapped sanctions on Zimbabwe at the turn of the millennium.
The Western nations, led by United Kingdom and United States termed these illegal sanctions as targeted restrictions on individuals accused of human rights violations and corruption.
However, Zimbabwe argued these illegal sanctions were imposed on them upon embarking on land redistribution programme aimed at correcting colonial imbalances that only favoured whites.
– CAJ News