State deserves kudos for evacuating Kenyans from Kabul

Muthoni Ngunjiri   

They have been moves with intention and objectivity. Moments of forging global ties with foreign nations and positioning Kenya to be a land of opportunities through trade and investment, conflict resolution, tourism, sports and a key innovation hub. 

President Uhuru Kenyatta seems to have relentlessly worked to bring Kenya to the global limelight.

As a result, many countries from the West, Europe, the Americas, Asia and as far as the Middle East have been able to find footing in Kenya.

To some, it has been a boon and to others a bane, but now more than ever, the country’s established global relations is proving to be the hallmark of efforts in evacuating Kenyans from Afghanistan.

Anchored on diplomacy among other factors, the world has increasingly become interconnected with diplomacy playing a critical role in enhancing a multidirectional relation, supporting world affairs and enhancing the existence of international organisations. 

And for Uhuru, the concerted efforts in establishing global relations are what has facilitated the evacuation of close to 100 Kenyans from Afghanistan, with the government closely monitoring the unfolding of events in the war-tone country as it followed up through international organisations and foreign nations.

Elaborately executed, Beijing, Tehran, UK and Kazakhstan came into play assisting Kenya in evacuation and providing temporary safe havens before they are repatriated back to Kenya.

This would have not been possible if Kenya shied away from building and maintaining diplomatic relations with foreign nations. 

Though disadvantaged by the fact that the country has no diplomatic presence or accreditation to Afghanistan, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs managed to liaise with missions in Beijing and Tehran to reach out to the host governments which promptly responded.

As a result, 52 Kenyans have been evacuated through the Kenyan embassy in Beijing on August 19.

Initially, 40 others had been evacuated to Kazakhstan with the rest evacuated to the UK.

The President has established partnerships and relations on defense, trade, health, development among other issues that played a huge role in creating more opportunities for Kenyans locally and internationally.

Therefore, it is not a tall order for Kenya to easily request or negotiate for assistance especially when in a crisis.

With the only nearest Kenyan mission to Afghanistan in Islamabad, Pakistan, how would Kenya engage such collaboration without international allies who stepped in?

Consider the resources, time and risk in undertaking such an execution — it would have been an unachievable task.

If not for President Uhuru, little would have been achieved and Kenyans would be among the thousands still stranded in the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, and this would have brought the President into disrepute.

We must be grateful as a country for the President’s diplomacy efforts that are bearing fruit not only for the local population through development and other social issues, but also what is offering a guarantee for security of Kenyans in the diaspora. — The writer is an economist and political analyst — mumbi403@gmail.com