MP Caleb Amisi explains repercussions Kenya risks facing over Sudan RSF leaders’ meeting in Nairobi
By Lutta Njomo, February 19, 2025Kenya is embroiled in yet another diplomatic tiff with Sudan following the decision by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), the group battling the Sudanese army for control of the country, to stage their meeting at the Kenyatta International Convention Center (KICC).
With the Sudanese Foreign Ministry first raising the alarm over what they described as an act of promoting the dismembering of a member state of the African Union (AU), several leaders and stakeholders on Wednesday, February 19, 2025, continued to add their voices on the matter.
The latest to raise concern is Sabati Member of Parliament Caleb Amisi who indicated that Kenya risks facing serious sanctions and repercussions for allowing RSF to stage their event in Nairobi, despite the outfit being sanctioned by President Donald Trump’s administration.
Amisi, an Azimio-aligned legislator, claimed that Kenya’s action could be interpreted as favouring one faction in the ongoing Sudan conflict which has displaced over 500,000 according to data from the United Nations.
In his lengthy statement, Amisi added that even if Kenya’s intentions were well-informed, it risks violating various international charters thus soiling the country’s diplomatic credibility in the global arena.
“Even if Kenya’s involvement is well-intentioned, it must avoid favouring any party in the conflict, as doing so contradicts the established principles of international law dating back to the Peace of Westphalia (1648), which set the foundation for state sovereignty and non-intervention. Continued engagement in a manner that breaches these legal norms, treaties, and conventions to which Kenya is a signatory risks undermining its credibility in international diplomacy,” Amisi’s statement read in part.
National security
Besides the diplomatic side, Amisi argued that Kenya could risk facing national security issues for its perceived involvement in the matter.
Even though Nairobi has not declared its stand following the meeting, Amisi maintained that Kenya could risk facing retaliatory attacks from other belligerent forces.
“This issue poses imminent risks to Kenya’s interstate relations, national security, and potential retaliation from other belligerent forces, their allied states, or non-state actors,” Amisi added.
Summon Mudavadi
To help address the matter and quell the pending diplomatic tiff between Kenya and Sudan, Amisi called on his fellow legislators to urgently summon Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi to shed light on the matter.
Failure to which, Amisi reiterated that Kenya was walking on a tightrock which risked ruining the country’s foreign policy cemented over years.
“Given these concerns, Parliament, as the oversight arm of government, must independently investigate the matter and summon the Minister for Foreign Affairs as a matter of urgency.
“Kenya must adhere strictly to international legal frameworks, including the UN Charter, the Geneva Conventions, the African Union (AU) Constitutive Act, and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) protocols, to ensure impartiality and uphold its diplomatic integrity,” the MP remarked.
