CS Moses Kuria missing from President Ruto photo with US official Katherine Tai
President William Ruto held talks with Ambassador Katherine Tai, the Principal Trade Advisor and Spokesperson on US Trade Policy at State House on July 19, 2023.
Trade Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria was missing when President William Ruto met investment partners from the United States of America at State House in Nairobi.
United States Trade Representative Katherine Tai had cancelled two scheduled meetings with Mr Kuria to discuss the trade ties between Kenya and the US.
Sources told the Nation that Ambassador Tais labelled Mr Kuria an extremist because of his vulgar remarks against individuals and institutions.
Mr Kuria was also barred from a meeting, the US-East Africa Community Trade and Investment Framework Agreement Council, after Ambassador Tai expressed reservations about his behaviour. CS Kuria and Lands CS Rebecca Miano were supposed to attend the meeting, but only CS Miano was allowed into her meeting after being labelled an unwanted guest.
On Wednesday morning, Ms Tai held talks with President Ruto.
"America is our most important trade and investment partner. Under the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act, Kenya has developed its value chains, expanded and diversified its exports and created thousands of job opportunities. We will expand our relationship beyond AGOA - in the wake of advanced technology and climate change - to fully realise our trade potential.
"At State House Kenya, Nairobi, I held talks with Ambassador Tai, the principal trade adviser and spokesman on US trade policy," President Ruto said.
The statement was accompanied by a photograph of President Ruto posing for a photo outside State House. Immediately noticeable was the absence of Mr Kuria, the Cabinet Secretary for Investment, Trade and Industry.
Since his appointment as Trade and Investment minister, Kuria has made dangerous and vulgar statements against opponents of his government and the media.
In the case of the media, he targeted the Nation Media Group after it investigated and published a cooking oil scandal involving his office. He went on to threaten to stop all government advertising to the media house.He is also on record as having made controversial comments about the war in Sudan.
He was also on record for issuing controversial comments regarding the war in Sudan.
“Appeasement does not pay. Military juntas do not become democrats simply because of the false principle of non-interference. The AU can marshal an army strong enough to bomb Khartoum to smithereens,” said CS Kuria.
Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Singoei had to issue public statements to disagree with Moses Kuria’s statements, saying they were not the government’s position.
“The personal views expressed by Moses Kuria do not represent government policy on this complex and challenging issue. We continue to work with all parties towards a peaceful resolution of the Sudanese crisis,” the PS said.
CS Kuria previously almost threatened the China-Kenya relations when he actively targeted the China Square retail shop that had garnered unprecedented popularity and customer base in Nairobi days after opening its doors. The retail outlet sells imported home and outdoor goods at cheaper prices than what the Kenyan market offers.
