Deputy President William Ruto’s campaign team has moved to dispel fears of a diplomatic misunderstanding between Kenya and the Democratic Republic of Congo following DP’s comments, which appeared to disparage the Central African nation.
At a campaign rally in Nyeri on Monday, the DP made remarks that seemed to mock the Congolese for wearing high waist trousers and not being able to keep cows as an investment.
The remarks drew widespread criticism from a section of DRC leaders as well as from ODM party leader Raila Odinga. The comments also caused an uproar with a section of Congolese terming the remarks as disrespectful.
Dr Ruto has since apologised for the remarks, stating that his comments were taken out of context.
“My speech was informal and the use of certain effects was purely to underscore the magnitude of the opportunity and the urgency of the moment to a local audience,” Dr Ruto said in statement on Wednesday.
On Thursday, the DP followed it up by dispatching Chief Administrative Secretary (CAS) Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ababu Namwamba and the Head of Communications at his campaign secretariat, Hussein Mohamed, to a meeting with DRC Head of Missions Madam Malenga Omoy Charlotte.
Ababu is also the Head of International Relations at the DP’s campaign secretariat.
During the meeting, Madam Malenga gave an assurance that the bilateral relations between the two countries remain intact and that the existing formal diplomatic channels of communication take precedence.
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