Kenya deploys Eliphas Mugendi as envoy to Ghana

Deputy President William Ruto congratulates the new President of Ghana, Nana Akufo-Addo, during his swearing-in ceremony at Black Star Square in Accra on January 7, 2017. PHOTO | CHARLES KIMANI | DPPS 

In Summary

• Kenya’s High Commissioner to Ghana Eliphas Mugendi Barine presented his credentials to Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo.  
• Previously, Kenya handled relations with Ghana through the High Commission in Abuja, Nigeria

By AGGREY MUTAMBO
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Kenya has deployed a full-time envoy to Ghana. Officials say this could help improve relations with a region initially unattended to by Nairobi.

The decision follows the opening of a resident diplomatic mission to Ghana’s capital Accra.

Last week, Kenya’s High Commissioner to Ghana Eliphas Mugendi Barine presented his credentials to Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo.  

IMMEDIATE TASK

Mr Barine, previously a director of liaison at the ministry of Foreign Affairs, said his immediate task is improving contacts between businesses and professionals of the two countries.

“We have a sound foundation to accelerate, deepen and widen our relations, considering the number of agreements and MoUs already in place,” he after presenting his credentials on January 27.

Previously, Kenya handled relations with Ghana through the High Commission in Abuja, Nigeria, even though Ghana runs a full-time diplomatic mission in Nairobi.

WIN VOTES

The move to post a fulltime ambassador is part of President Uhuru Kenyatta’s push for ‘Pan-Africanism’ type of foreign policy, officials say.

But it could be part of lessons learnt in the past. Until this year, Kenya’s relations with the 15-member Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) was only through the High Commission in Nigeria, limiting collection of any grassroots contacts.

That failure was reflected in Kenya’s inability to win votes in Ecowas’ francophone members for the post of African Union Commission Chairperson in 2017. Kenya has since opened another embassy in Senegal, becoming the first mission to a French-speaking west African country.

DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS

The Envoy said this move to create a full-time embassy will help in implementing previous agreements signed between the two countries.

Though the two countries had existing diplomatic relations from the Jomo Kenyatta era, it is only during President Mwai Kibaki’s time that Ghana relocated its Kenya mission from Addis Ababa to Nairobi, signaling intent for direct contacts.

In 2014, under President John Mahama, Ghana signed various trade deals with Kenya, which the leaders argued will help improve trade ties.

Those agreements were about investment, energy and mineral resources cooperation, according to a dispatch from State House then.

Mahama later lost to President Akufo-Addo, who is due to seek re-lection this year