President Uhuru Kenyatta reassures PM Abiy of Kenya's support for Ethiopia

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta at Bole International Airport in Addis Ababa on June 8, 2021. PHOTO | PSCU

What you need to know:

  • President Kenyatta arrived in the Ethiopian capital on Monday to attend the ceremony of the formation of Ethiopia's new government.
  • Upon arrival at Addis Ababa's Bole International Airport, President Kenyatta was welcomed by Finance Minister Ahmed Shide and Education Minister Getahun Mekuria.

Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta has pledged his country's support to the new Ethiopian government that was formed on Monday.

President Kenyatta reassured Ethiopia of his backing while delivering his speech at the inauguration of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed in Addis Ababa's Meskal Square on Monday.

"I stand here to offer you our support as you continue with your endeavors to rebuild Ethiopia" he said.

"Kenya stands ready to work shoulder to shoulder with our brothers and sisters in Ethiopia to build a great region of prosperity and peace. My brother, we assure you our support but equally my brother, I remind you that today that the people of Ethiopia have given you mandate to lead, a mandate to bring peace, a mandate to bring stability and a mandate to bring all the people of Ethiopia together." 

The Kenyan President noted that Ethiopia is the mother of African independence and the only African country that wasn't colonised.

"For the continent, Ethiopia is our mother and as you all know if the mother is not at peace then the family cannot have peace," he said. 

President Kenyatta arrived in the Ethiopian capital on Monday to attend the ceremony of the formation of Ethiopia's new government.

Upon arrival at Addis Ababa's Bole International Airport, President Kenyatta was welcomed by Finance Minister Ahmed Shide and Education Minister Getahun Mekuria.

At the public inauguration ceremony, hundreds of thousands of Ethiopians, members of the diplomatic community and leaders of various countries gathered for the fete.