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Kenya welcomes Trump’s ‘shithole’ comments

By SILAS APOLLO January 18th, 2018 2 min read

Government spokesman Eric Kiraithe says Kenya has no problem with the vulgar remarks by US President Donald Trump on Africa and other Third World nations.

Mr Kiraithe on Thursday told journalists that the statement by President Trump which belittled the countries were not a direct attack to Kenya, and hence, had no significance.

“The statement was not an official matter that say is related to the relationship with the government. We enjoy a cordial relationship,” he said.

“We are studying the context in which these statements were made and see whether it is worth the attention.”

Later, in a statement to newsrooms, Mr Kiraithe said he only pointed out that the remarks in issue were not official government-to-government communication.

RACIST

The Mr Kiraithe’s statements, which is the first official response by the government on the remarks, however differ with that of other African nations and the continental body the African Union, which have asked the US President to withdraw the remarks, terming them racists.

Last week, Nasa leader Raila Odinga also asked the US leader to apologise over the abusive remarks which were met with shock and global condemnation.

President Trump, had in a meeting with lawmakers in the White House dismissed, Haiti, El Salvador and Africa as “shithole countries” whose inhabitants are not desirable for US immigration.

AU chairperson Moussa Faki, last week said he was alarmed by the comments.

‘FRANKLY ALARMED’

“The African Union Commission is frankly alarmed at statements by the President of the United States when referring to migrants of African countries and others in such contemptuous terms,” he said through his spokesperson Ebba Kalondo.

“Considering the historical reality of how many Africans arrived in the US during the Atlantic slave trade, this flies in the face of all accepted behaviour and practice.”

The remarks sparked outrage with leaders in different parts of the world taking to social media to express their anger.

“The government spokesman said that Kenya aligns herself with the sentiments expressed by the African Union,” the statement from Kiraithe further said.

“Lets take this opportunity to state that as a citizen of this civilized world Mr. Eric Kiraithe as a person found the reported remarks very unfortunate.”