President Kenyatta to hold talks with Botswana leader

PHOTOS | FILE President Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya (L) and President Seretse Khama Ian Khama of Botswana.  AFP

In Summary

• Botswana recently threw its weight behind President Kenyatta saying there was a legitimate reason to suspend his trial at the International Criminal Court
• Botswana and Kenya have a history of co-operation

By Mtokozisi Dube
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Gaborone

President Uhuru Kenyatta is set to visit Botswana on Wednesday following an invitation from President Seretse Khama Ian Khama.

President Kenyatta will fly to Gaborone for the one day official visit after his two day trip to South Africa and is to hold talks with President Khama on bilateral, regional and international issues of mutual interest.

A statement from Botswana’s Office of the President confirming the visit read in part: “Botswana and Kenya enjoy cordial and longstanding bilateral relations which have laid a strong foundation for strengthening and deepening co-operation between the two countries.”

Botswana recently threw its weight behind President Kenyatta saying there was a legitimate reason to suspend his trial at the International Criminal Court. (READ: Botswana backs bid to suspend ICC trials)

Botswana’s minister of foreign affairs Phandu Skelemani said this would allow President Kenyatta to focus on the threat of terrorism by al-Shabaab in his country. (READ: Uhuru to leave for SA as Ruto jets in to run State affairs)

Last Thursday, the ICC postponed President Kenyatta’s trial to February 5, 2014. President Kenyatta had applied that his trial be postponed to at least February 12, 2014 while the prosecution wanted the postponement not go beyond February 3, 2014. (READ: Uhuru trial pushed to February)

Botswana and Kenya have a history of co-operation, dating back to Nairobi’s support in 1966 through the training of doctors and railway workers, among others, shortly after the southern African country’s independence. (READ: Botswana and Kenya to firm up trade ties)

The bilateral relations between the two countries can be traced back to the founding leaders, Sir Seretse Khama and Mzee Jomo Kenyatta who are fathers of the current presidents.