NAIROBI, KENYA:ย Chief Justiceย Willy Mutungaย is set to travel to Dakar,ย Senegalย to meet US PresidentBarack Obamaย who will skipย Kenyaย in his official visit to Africa.
The CJ will meet Obama alongside 11 other chief justices from Africa.
The meeting between the African chief justices and President Obama is expected to focus on the role of the judiciary in democratisation.
A statement issued on behalf of the CJ stated that the invitation to meet Obama was relayed through the US Embassy in Nairobi and signed by Ambassador Robert F. Godec. The US Embassy will meet the costs of the trip.
Recentlyย Obama explained his itinerary did not includeKenyaย because the International Criminals Court (ICC) had indicted President Uhuruย Kenyatta and his Deputy William Ruto.
What is more, Obama also appeared to downgradeKenyaโs place in the region by singling out Tanzania as Americaโs key ally in the East Africa region.
In a Press briefing on Obamaโs upcoming trip toSenegal, South Africa and Tanzania via conference call, US Deputy National Security Advisor Ben Rhodes said it was not the best time for the US President to visitKenya.
โGiven the fact thatย Kenyaย is in the aftermath of their election and the new government has come into place and is going to be reviewing these issues with the ICC and the international community, it just wasnโt the best time for the President to travel toย Kenyaย at this point,โ said Mr Rhodes.
He said though President Obama had deep personal and familial connections toย Kenya, the US, as a country, had a commitment to accountability and justice as a baseline principle.-standardmedia.co.ke