Kisumu is a beautiful city, US Ambassador Meg says in her visit
The US Ambassador to Kenya Margaret (Meg) Whitman said that Kisumu County is a beautiful city during her official country visit.
Ambassador Meg landed at the Kisumu International Airport onboard a Kenya Airways flight.
“Happy to be in Kisumu this morning – my first county visit in Kenya! Looking forward to a great day meeting local leaders, and US Embassy staff leading critical US programs and investments,” Ambassador Meg said.
She said that the city hosts numerous US investments, American businesses, US citizens and embassy programs.
Upon landing, she met with Kisumu Governor Anyang’ Nyongo and congratulated him for defending his governorship seat in the just concluded election.
“Congratulations on your re-election and thank you for making time to meet with me on my first visit to Kisumu.”
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She also met with County Commissioner Josephine Ouko.
Her visit comes after a peaceful election in the country.
Earlier on, the US government had issued a security alert to its citizens from visiting Kisumu ahead of the election in fear of violence.
According to the embassy, security alerts to its citizens are common ahead of elections worldwide.
“Alerts of this nature to American citizens are common ahead of elections throughout the world, and the United States has no information to suggest the security situation in Kisumu or any other parts of Kenya, have been adversely affected by election preparations.”
The statement was a clarification of an initial statement that had urged its citizens to be vigilant while travelling to Kisumu.
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It said that election-related demonstrations and rallies regularly take place in the run-up to the election and are likely to continue, at times blocking key intersections and causing traffic jams.
“Out of an abundance of caution, the embassy has imposed movement restrictions on personnel in Kisumu. The State Department reminds US citizens of the continued need for sustained vigilance.”
Her visit to Kisumu is the first assignment to the ambassador outside Nairobi where the US embassy is located.
In her first meeting in the country after being voted by the US Senate as the eighteenth United States representative to Kenya, the ambassador let a US delegation meet the outgoing President Uhuru Kenyatta, President-elect William Ruto and the Azimio La Umoja One Kenya Coalition presidential candidate Raila Odinga where they discussed various issues related to the relationship between the US and Kenya.
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