JK's absence at Mombasa meeting stirs social media

BY DEVOTA MWACHANG`A

29th August 2013

Ally Mkumbwa, spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation

Social media networks have been speculating that President Jakaya Kikwete’s absence at a meeting that was attended by the other East Africa Community (EAC) four Heads of state was a sign of ‘something amiss’ with the regional bloc.

However, Foreign and International Relations Ministry has clarified that yesterday’s Mombasa meeting which brought together at least four of the five EAC Heads of State was not an EAC meeting.

“The meeting was not an EAC one, if it were, the President would certainly have attended,” the Ministry’s Spokesperson, Ally Mkumbwa told The Guardian.

The development came about following British Broadcasting Corporation’s (BCC)announcement that four East African Community Heads of State for Uganda, Kenya, Burundi and Rwanda were having a meeting in Kenya’s Town of Mombasa but Tanzania’s president was not present.
After that broadcast, social media went abuzz questioning President Kikwete’s absence. The speculation was vast and hinted that his absence signified trouble in the regional bloc. It is however to be noted that a similar meeting took place last month in Kampala and President Kikwete was not in attendance either.

The Ministry has thus made it clear that all is well with the union and the President’s absence was not due to any problems but rather simply because it was not part of his schedule to do so nor was he required to attend.

It was not clarified however as to what the meeting was about. At the meeting were, Uganda’s Yoweri Museveni, Rwanda’s Paul Kagame, Kenya’s Uhuru Kenyatta and Burundi’s Piere Kurunziza. 

SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN