Netherlands King’s Visit To Kenya Faces Hurdle As Dutch Politicians Raise Questions
A section of the Netherlands House of Representatives has expressed concerns about the safety of King Willem-Alexander’s journey to Kenya.
The Dutch newspaper Algemeen Dagblad (AD) reported on Monday, March 10, that the King’s scheduled visit to Kenya was generating concern among Dutch Members of Parliament, notably those in the opposition.
Amnesty International and other non-governmental organizations released a study highlighting the country’s deteriorating humanitarian condition, prompting these worries.
Marieke Wijen-Nass, an MP from the Farmer Citizen Movement, often known as the Boer Burger Beweging (BBB), questioned the significance of the King’s visit to Kenya.
Marieke also demanded an explanation from the Dutch government about whether the King was safe during his journey to Kenya despite the country’s recent instability.
“Trade relations are important, but the Dutch government must be able to demonstrate that the state visit yields results, both economically and diplomatically,” Marieke questioned.
She went ahead to add, “Is there any prospect of improvements in the human rights situation? Is there a concrete plan to give Dutch entrepreneurs a stronger position in Kenya? If not, the timing of this visit is incomprehensible.”
Lauren Dassen of the Volt party echoed Marieke’s thoughts, expressing concern over the state visit’s potential detrimental effects.
“The King should not allow himself to be used as a pawn by the Kenyan government,” Laurens commented.
The latest step follows recent complaints from Kenyans to the Dutch authorities.
Kenyans demanded that the monarch cancel his visit to the country because President William Ruto’s administration violated human rights.
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In mid-January, Kenyan activists in the Netherlands delivered a 22,000-signature petition to the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, urging that the state visit be canceled.
However, in reaction, the Kenyan Ministry of Foreign Affairs described the online petitions as falsehoods intended to undermine the integrity of the Kenya Kwanza administration.
Musaia Mudavadi, Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary, specifically blamed social media influencers for propagating false information about the Kenyan government.
“These activities initially sparked by genuine protests by Gen-Z have evolved into organized cyber attacks by a few social media influencers and seek to delegitimize government initiatives,” Mudavadi said.
Netherlands King’s Visit To Kenya Faces Hurdle As Dutch Politicians Raise Questions
