Gachagua, Uhuru hold talks with UK ambassador

By Peter Ochieng

Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua on Wednesday morning played host to United Kingdom’s new High Commissioner to Kenya, Neil Wigan at the deputy president’s official residence in Karen, Nairobi.

Neil Wigan arrived in Kenya about 6 months ago to start his tour of duty, taking over from Jane Marriot who had served in the country for 4 months, from 2019.

Gachagua in a statement after the meeting said Kenya enjoys a cordial relationship with the UK.

“Riding on the long and warm cordial relations with the United Kingdom, Kenya continues to strengthen strategic partnership in areas of mutual interest for the benefit of the people of the two nations,” he shared.

He said their discussions centered on security, climate change, and trade amongst others.

“This morning, at the official residence in Karen, I hosted the new UK High Commissioner to Kenya H.E Neil Wigan for discussions on deepening the socio-economic ties between the two nations in areas that include trade, foreign direct investment, security, climate change action, technology transfer, women and youth empowerment, among other areas as underpinned by the Kenya-UK Strategic Partnership Framework, 2020-2025.”

“The Ruto administration is keen on pursuing partnerships that directly feed to the achievement of the Kenya Kwanza plan of transforming the socio-economic fortunes of our people,” added the deputy president.

Hours later, Wigan met retired president Uhuru Kenyatta. The ambassador paid him a courtesy call at his office in Nairobi.

Photos shared by Kenyatta’s office indicate that former Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary (PS) Macharia Kamau and former State House Spokesperson Kanze Dena were among those in attendance.

It is still not clear what was discussed during the meeting. Uhuru retired in September 2022, after serving for two terms from 2013.