Somaliland: Kenya Averts Diplomatic Row With Somalia

By Chidi Levi

Amason Jeffah Kingi, the Speaker of Kenya’s Senate, stirred a controversy after sharing a now-deleted social media post that seemingly recognized Somaliland as an independent nation, a move conflicting with Kenya’s national policy.

Somaliland is a breakaway region of Somalia and has surprisingly remained stable and runs uninterrupted  democratic government in contrast to Somalia.

Kingi’s social media update revealed his meeting with Somaliland’s “Ambassador to Kenya,” highlighting their discussion aimed at exploring “new avenues for collaboration and partnerships between our governments”.

However, this post drew criticism, with Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’Oei among those asserting that Kingi’s acknowledgment of Somaliland’s government contradicted Kenya’s established foreign policy.

Sing’Oei emphasized that Kenya recognizes only the Federal Republic of Somalia as the official state entity, aligning with the African Union’s stance.

“It is Kenya’s established and unchanging foreign policy, consistent with African Union, that only the Federal Republic of Somalia is the recognised State entity,” said Sing’Oei.

Additionally, Kingi faced backlash for involving himself in foreign policy matters, which typically fall beyond the direct jurisdiction of the senate, sparking concerns about meddling in national government affairs.

Somaliland declared its independence from Somalia in 1991. However, it remains unrecognized internationally as an independent state, lacking acknowledgment from entities like the United Nations and the African Union.