Highlights:
Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenya sent a special envoy to Burundi; he was expected to meet with leaders of both sides to discuss the ongoing crisis.
Envoy Joseph Nyaga went to Burundi on Wednesday 11th November where he spent two days in Bujumbura having comprehensive talks with both sides of government in a bid to encourage dialogues that will stop the crisis.
Summary:
Kenya’s president Uhuru Kenyatta commissioned a special envoy on a two-day trip to Burundi in an attempt to encourage dialogue between the government and the opposition.
Special Envoy Joseph Nyaga spent two days starting on Wednesday 11th November and upon his return said that his trip was a like a data collection trip that involved assessing the current situation, listening to the grievances of the involved parties and assess the measures that could be put in place to end the crisis.
Kenya, one of the most stable and democratic country in the region has expressed her desire to help with the Burundi crisis due to the experience in dialogue as it solved her 2007/2008 violence. Despite the mediation talks being lead my Uganda a more active input by Kenya is very valuable especially in bringing together all the parties both in Burundi and those in exile.
Kenya’s involvement comes as the region is contemplating deploying the East African Stand-By Force as a contingency plan in the event the violence accelerated. Nyaga commended the work of the Ugandan team and in the same breathe criticized the sanctions saying that they are premature and internal dialogue should be given more time before taking any drastic measures.
Kenya in the past has acted as a lead negotiator in a lot of crises in the Great Lakes Region asserting her position as a very efficient peacemaker as well as a key actor in the region’s stability.
