Kenya takes a beating over Ruto's decision to 'cut ties' with Western Sahara through a tweet

President William Ruto's Wednesday's revocation, on Twitter, of Kenya's recognition of Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic which stretches over more than three decades, has kicked up a local and international storm.

Ruto's surprise tweet after meeting Moroccan foreign affairs Minister Nasser Bourita on Wednesday was, in certain quarters seen as a diplomatic faux pas. The tweet was, minutes later, removed.

Considering Nairobi's role and position in the continent, especially on matters of promotion of peace, security and stability, Kenya's credibility is taking a beating over the decision to sever diplomatic relations with the North African semi-autonomous state through a tweet.

Nairobi hasn't yet sent any diplomatic communication to the embassy of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic regarding the drastic action.

The Sahrawi envoy in Kenya Bah El Mad Abdellah has told the Standard that he learnt of the development on social media just like any other user.

"We have not received any diplomatic communication from the Ministry of Foreign affairs or any other institution,'' said.

Though surprised, the ambassador appreciated the government of Kenya for being a vocal voice in the continent and globally regarding the quest for self-determination of the Sahrawi people.

Kenya has an accredited ambassador to the semi-autonomous state in North Africa. Peter Katana, who is also the Kenyan ambassador to Algeria. He presented his credentials to President Brahim Ghali in May this year.

During the ceremony at the headquarters of the Sahrawi presidency at a refugee camp in southern Algeria, Katana noted that it was a historic moment in the sense that this was the first time Kenya was accrediting an ambassador to Western Sahara.

President Brahim Ghali was officially received on Tuesday by President Ruto for the inauguration luncheon at State House Nairobi and was accorded the privilege of signing the visitors' book. He however did not engage in a closed-door meeting with Ruto like the other visiting delegations.

Dr. Laeed Zaghlami, a professor at the University of Algiers who has a special connection with Kenya, argues President Ruto's midnight decision was not a good move considering Kenya's policy on the Western Sahara conflict.

''He has changed his mind overnight. He should stick to the decisions of the AU and the UN. What is going on in Western Sahara needs a very objective understanding,'' Professor Laeed told the Standard.

He thought President Ruto was an ''novice" in international politics and had made a big diplomatic blunder that dented Kenya's credibility as a regional leader.

''I am surprised he doesn't believe in the spirit of African solutions to African problems. Kenya has played a critical role in influencing the decisions of the African Union on this issue. As a beginner in foreign politics, he has gotten it wrong and the best way to engage is to keep a distance for now,'' said Laeed.

Kenya's constitutional lawyer and an ardent Ruto supporter, Ahmednasir Abdullahi disagreed with President Ruto.

"The Sahrawi people of Western Sahara have the right of peoples to self-determination. Morocco is a colonising state," tweeted Ahmednasir

Tanzanian opposition leader Zitto Kabwe, in a tweet condemned what he referred to as a ''reactionary'' decision from President Ruto.

"Western Sahara has been under the Moroccan occupation for a long. Sahrawi is a sovereign state and a member of the African Union. Kenya's decision is just wrong," read part of his tweet.

Interestingly, the diplomatic move by Kenya's president also created an uproar from Twitter users, especially South Africans and Zimbabweans who revisited what used to be seen as Kenya's "tolerance" of Apartheid South Africa.

Hopewell Chin'ono, an award-winning investigative journalist from Zimbabwe castigated Ruto's move.

"You do not announce such big policy decisions on Twitter and then delete them. The President needs a solid media team that is not trigger happy," he tweeted.

Kenya, during her Presidency of the African Union Peace and Security Council in February this year, prioritised and championed engagements on the conflicted territory with Ruto's predecessor Uhuru Kenyatta convening high-level talks in Nairobi.

The African Union recognises the Sahrawi Democratic Republic as a member state and has had an established diplomatic liaison office since 1994.

Interestingly, Kenya which represents the continent at the United Nations Security Council, will most likely have to handle a diplomatic crisis that is expected to cause a rift in the African Union in the coming days. This has left observers wondering what precipitated the decision.

In May Kenya's envoy to Sahrawi Peter Katana in May said relations between Kenya and SADR were guided by the African Union's position that Western Sahara is a member state.

''Kenya is a representative of the African Union at the United Nations Security Council and, as such, it is obligated to advance peace and security which includes the resolution of the long-standing question of Western Sahara. This is a responsibility that Kenya will endeavour to deliver to the people of Africa including the Sahrawi,'' said the envoy when he met President Ghali.

A senior official at the office of the African Union Commission chair, Moussa Faki Mahamat, confirmed to the Standard that the continental body had not received any official communication from Nairobi on the decision.

The SADR is recognised by less than half of the AU's member states. Many African countries that have recognised the semi-autonomous state have shifted positions over the years and Kenya is not an exception.

Although Kenya's foreign policy is guided by various factors, the issue of economic gains comes to the fore.

Morocco is one of the largest producers of fertilizer and this may suggest a new shift in business engagements as Rabat is seen as a key source of the much-needed fertiliser for Kenyan farmers.

President Ruto, during his maiden inauguration speech, announced that cheap fertiliser would be arriving in Kenya before the end of September.

Was 'cheap fertiliser' the carrot that was dangled his way for an overnight shift of Kenya's foreign policy on Western Sahara?

This and so many other questions haven't been answered by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which seems to be on the periphery now that the outgoing minister Raychelle Omamo and PS Macharia Kamau are labelled 'Uhuru's people.

State House hasn't also issued a clarification regarding this diplomatic storm.