Netherlands' King Willem-Alexander
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The Netherlands' King Willem-Alexander's planned state visit to Kenya later this month is facing scrutiny from Dutch lawmakers who have voiced concerns about the safety and appropriateness of the trip given the country's current humanitarian challenges.
Members of the Netherlands House of Representatives have raised questions about the visit's purpose. These concerns have been amplified by a recent report from Amnesty International and other non-governmental organizations that highlight deteriorating conditions in Kenya. Marieke Wijen-Nass, an MP from the Farmer Citizen Movement, has publicly questioned the necessity of the visit, pressing the Dutch government for assurances regarding the King's safety amidst reported unrest.
“Trade relations are important, but the Dutch government must be able to demonstrate that the state visit yields results, both economically and diplomatically,” Marieke questions.
She emphasizes the importance of trade relations but also questions the visit's potential practical outcomes, including improvements in Kenya's human rights situation and opportunities for Dutch entrepreneurs. Laurens Dassen of the Volt party echoes these sentiments, raising concerns that the visit could be perceived as the King being used by the Kenyan government for its own purposes.
“Is there any prospect of improvements in the human rights situation? Is there a concrete plan to give Dutch entrepreneurs a stronger position in Kenya? If not, the timing of this visit is incomprehensible,” she added.
The King's planned visit also follows a petition signed by 22,000 Kenyan citizens in January and submitted to the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, calling for its cancellation due to alleged human rights violations by President William Ruto's administration. In response, Kenya’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has dismissed these petitions as attempts to undermine the credibility of the current administration.
Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi accuses social media influencers of spreading false information to delegitimize government initiatives, asserting that genuine protests have evolved into coordinated cyber-attacks against the government. The Dutch government faces the challenge of addressing these concerns while ensuring the visit achieves its intended diplomatic and economic objectives.
"These activities initially sparked by genuine protests by Gen-Z have evolved into organized cyber attacks by a few social media influencers and seek to delegitimize government initiatives," Mudavadi said.