By AGGREY MUTAMBO

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Eritrean leader Isaias Afwerki, who is visiting Kenya, on Thursday denied roles in Ethiopia’s conflict, even though he pledged to return to the regional bloc, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (Igad), to rebuild the Horn of Africa.

Afwerki, on an official trip to Nairobi for the first time since December 2018, was touring Kenya to cement what officials said was bilateral relations but the matter was also about his role in Ethiopia’s conflict.

Immediately after his meeting with Kenyan President William Ruto, they announced a visa-free passage for citizens of their countries, as part of intention to boost travel between them.

 “We have agreed to abolish the requirement of visas permanently, effective today. In this regard we have instructed our ministries of Interior to work on the modalities for the ratification of this directive,” announced President Ruto, after which Afwerki endorsed the declaration as a joint statement.

Legal entry and exits

A visa-free movement could help eliminate frequent cases of Eritreans fleeing their country and being arrested in Kenya, even though officials say entry and exits will still have to be legal.

But Afwerki was visiting with a background of Eritrea’s alleged atrocities in Tigray region in Ethiopia where it sent forces to fight alongside Ethiopian troops.

Since November, a peace deal between the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) and the Ethiopian government appears to be holding. Afwerki batted away questions on the number of his troops killed. He also declined to answer a question on his country’s succession plan.

Engaging in ‘fantasy’

He instead accused those questioning Eritrea’s atrocities as engaging in a “fantasy of those who want to derail a peace process.”

“Don’t take Eritrea as a pretext of problems in Ethiopia or the whole region,” Afwerki told a joint media briefing, suggesting it was up to Ethiopia to see how the peace deal is implemented

“This is a fantasy of those who own a factory of fabricating information…. these lies and fabrications are keeping your mindsets in the wrong direction.”

The peace deal had provided for complete withdrawal of Eritrean troops from Tigray as TPLF surrenders their heavy weaponry.

“What happened in Pretoria and Nairobi (mediation venues) was a continuation of the aspirations and wishes of the people in Ethiopia and everywhere else in the region. And Eritrea has no plan of getting involved in this matter without the permission of the forefront, the Ethiopian government.

“You talk of withdrawal or no withdrawal, we say this is nonsense…let’s assume that the peace process in Ethiopia is going on without any obstacles,” Eritrean leader said.

The Kenyan president added that all governments in the region had been satisfied with the implementation of the peace process in Ethiopia.

Major milestone

“I think it is a major milestone for our region,” Ruto said of the peace deal.

Afwerki, however, showed intent to re-join the Igad, as long as it is ready to adjust to modern times.

He said “there is no question about it” on re-joining Igad but did say “we will have to create an institution that is functional and result-oriented.”

Eritrea, technically still member of Igad, had been boycotting its activities to protest, initially, bias towards Ethiopia and accusing it as a tool for the West to malign Asmara.

President Afwerki arrived in Nairobi on Wednesday for a two-day official visit, accompanied by his Foreign Minister Osman Saleh and Presidential Advisor Yemane Ghebreab.

Eritrean Information Minister Yemane Gebremeskel said the trip was “on the invitation of President William Ruto” with whom they were expected to discuss bilateral issues in Nairobi.