Clear suspicion over AU adviser's sudden exit

Frederic Gateretse-Ngoga, a senior adviser at the African Union (AU).[Courtesy, Wikipedia]

Early this month, President William Ruto made unfortunate remarks that nearly triggered a wave of xenophobic attacks against foreign nationals working in Kenya.

The President, while addressing small-scale traders at State House, directed the immigrants to pack and leave for allegedly giving their Kenyan counterparts undue competition and aggravating unemployment locally.

That triggered mass panic among foreigners and sporadic attacks of mostly Burundian nationals by Kenyans. In a matter of days, hundreds of Burudians flocked their embassy in Nairobi seeking papers that would help them flee the country.

Needless to say, Dr Ruto’s utterances were widely condemned at home and abroad by those who saw the danger in them. Among them was Frederic Gateretse-Ngoga, a senior adviser at the African Union (AU), who tweeted that Burundians “shall never forget those who stood by us and those who threw us to the dogs. It might rain today, might get wet, but one day we shall be dry”. As a Burundian, he was obviously extremely pained by the mistreatment of his countrymen and women than most of those who spoke against Ruto’s edict.

Interestingly, a day after he made the comment, he announced that he had resigned from the AU. Other reports, however, suggested that he had been fired for ‘gross indiscipline’.

Considering that he left the AU soon after he criticised Ruto’s decision, it is safe to assume that his exit was triggered or catalysed by his tweet. That would mean that he was sacked by the AU for speaking against injustice and dreaming of a better day in Burundi.

That would be unfortunate because part of the the AU’s mandate is to protect human rights, ensure justice, and uphold the rule of law in the continent-not to side with leaders who go against these ideals, including through their utterances.

For that reason, we would like believe that Ngoga was not fired for standing up against injustice or even for critising president's directive as the AU is also supposed to protect the freedom of speech.

But only the AU can confirm that Ngoga’s exit had nothing to do with what happened in Kenya.  For if it did, it would make many people to question the AU’s relevance.