Ruto's secret Somaliland meeting sparks storm over foreign policy

President William Ruto (right) and SomalilandAbdirahman Mohamed (left) meet at State House, Nairobi. [Sourced, X]

President William Ruto’s Thursday meeting with Somaliland President Abdirahman Irro has once again raised questions about Kenya’s foreign policy and the diplomatic advice the Head of State gets.

The meeting, which analysts argue is a diplomatic blunder, risks straining the already fragile relationship between Kenya and Somalia, from which Somaliland hopes to break away.

Contrary to the norm, whenever Dr Ruto meets a foreign dignitary, the Kenyan State House has not published any image of the meeting or its details, which Somaliland was all too glad to reveal. 

Irro’s spokesperson, Hussein Aden Igeh, shared an image of the two Heads of State at the State House in Nairobi and details of the meeting on his official X account. The meeting happened on the day Somaliland opened a liaison office in Kenya’s capital.

“The two Heads of State engaged in a wide-ranging discussion on matters of mutual interest and regional significance, with particular attention to bilateral cooperation – including the promotion of trade, investment, economic development and enhanced air connectivity,” Igeh said in part, describing the meeting as “cordial and productive.”

He disclosed that the meeting also discussed peace and regional stability and education and institutional development, focusing on academic exchanges, among other issues.

“The meeting reaffirmed the strong and long-standing relationship between Somaliland and Kenya — a partnership anchored in mutual respect, shared values and a common vision for peace, stability and prosperity across the region,” added Igeh.

President Irro met former Prime Minister Raila Odinga on Monday. His Foreign Affairs Ministry said the meeting had “underscored the deep personal rapport between President Abdirahman Irro and Hon Odinga—a resolute champion of Somaliland’s sovereignty and democratic aspirations for decades.”

Hargeisa has been aggressive in its latest push for recognition, lining up meetings with top Kenyan officials, who also include National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula.

On Saturday, the Somaliland president engaged “key international partners, multilateral institutions and foreign envoys based in Nairobi”, as the state’s Foreign Affairs ministry announced on X. Later in the evening, he engaged the diaspora community in Kenya.

On Friday, Kenya’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs reaffirmed that it had not “granted approval” to Hargeisa to open the liaison office.

“…its investiture of the status of a Diplomatic Office does not enjoy the imprimatur of the Republic of Kenya and cannot be allowed to proceed,” the Ministry said in a statement dated May 26.

Ruto’s meeting with Irro will, undoubtedly, rattle Mogadishu, which has often been critical of Nairobi’s closeness to Hargeisa. In 2020, Somalia recalled its diplomats from Kenya and expelled Nairobi’s following a meeting between former Presidents Uhuru Kenyatta and Muse Bihi Abdi.

At the time, Somalia accused Kenya of “recurrent outright” interference in the Horn of Africa nation’s internal affairs. Mogadishu has yet to react to the latest developments.

Hargeisa has appeared almost desperate for recognition from Kenya, the region’s economic powerhouse. In an opinion article in a regional weekly, Ismail Shirwac, the first secretary of the Republic of Somaliland in Kenya, argued for the formalisation of diplomatic relations between Nairobi and Hargeisa.

“Recognising Somaliland as a sovereign state offers Kenya a remarkable opportunity to reinforce its position as a champion of democracy, regional stability and economic growth,” wrote Shirwac.

Nairobi has blown hot and cold about its recognition of the breakaway state, which it mostly considers as a regional government within the Republic of Somalia, in keeping with the African Union’s guidelines. Indeed, the Foreign Affairs Ministry made this point in its statement.

“As Somalia continues to advance its state-building and institutional development agenda, the Government of Kenya, through sustained dialogue with the Federal Government of Somalia, stands ready to support these efforts to enhance cooperation and mutually beneficial partnerships,” the Foreign Affairs Ministry stated.

Kenya and Somalia have partnered in fighting the Al Shabaab terrorist group but have often differed in other aspects, such as a maritime dispute that the International Court of Justice adjudicated in Mogadishu’s favour, but whose decision Nairobi does not recognise.

While Nairobi acknowledges Mogadishu’s legitimacy, Kenya has often sought to please Hargeisa, deploying Mining Cabinet Secretary Hassan Joho to welcome the visiting president. A statement by Kenya’s Foreign Affairs Ministry, which said Nairobi “avails itself of this opportunity to the Liaison Office of Somaliland in Nairobi, the assurances of its highest consideration”, gave hope for recognition. Kenya’s position risks “opening a can of worms,” as Macharia Munene,  a professor of history and international relations, argued.

“Ruto seems to be an ambivalent man whose actions give the impression that he is encouraging the recognition of Somaliland, and that is what Hargeisa wants. It sends the wrong signals to Mogadishu,” said Prof Munene.

Machakos Deputy Governor Francis Mwangangi, an international relations expert, concurred, saying Kenya “should not be seen to be supporting regionalism.”

“We know Somalia is one, and the world is working to stabilise the country as so. Why would we want to oppose this One-Somalia policy?” Mwangangi posed. “Other countries may in the future support a push by breakaway factions in Kenya.”

Prof Munene also made this point, highlighting a previous situation when the Mombasa Republican Council sought to have the Coast secede from Kenya. “If Somaliland gets away with it, then maybe the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo should, too,” he stated.