President William Ruto hosted Oumarou Yabre, a top official from Burkina Faso, at State House, Nairobi, on Saturday. The special message was sent by Captain Ibrahim Traore, the country’s transitional leader, who took power through a military takeover. Also in attendance was Kenya’s intelligence chief Noordin Haji.
Though the meeting looked diplomatic on the surface, it comes at a time when Kenya continues to stand firm against the wave of military coups hitting West Africa. Nairobi’s refusal to recognise military-led governments has created a contrast with countries like Burkina Faso, whose leadership took over power through force.
Kenya’s Principal Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Korir Sing’Oei, recently criticised what he called the “normalisation” of such regimes. His statement followed Captain Traore’s welcome in Russia during a summit that brought together African leaders. Sing’Oei warned that giving legitimacy to coup leaders threatens to undo years of hard-won democratic progress.
“The normalisation and dignifying of military takeovers must trouble our great continent. It’s a major rollback to the democratic gains so far made,” said the Ministry in a statement.
Security Talks Highlight Deeper Foreign Policy Divides
Just days before the meeting at State House, Nairobi had hosted the African Chiefs of Defence Conference from May 28 to 29. The summit, organised by the U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), brought together military leaders from across the continent, including AFRICOM’s General Michael Langley.
General Langley had recently faced criticism after he told the U.S. Senate that Burkina Faso was using its gold resources to fund private security forces. Speaking to Citizen TV in Nairobi, he stood by his claims, saying the military situation in the Sahel remains dangerous, with ISIS and Al-Qaeda gaining more ground.
“Burkina Faso has made progress. But they remain vulnerable. ISIS and Al Qaeda are gaining ground,” Langley stated.
While Langley said Burkina Faso had the right to make sovereign choices, his words sparked concern about growing Western influence on African affairs, especially in countries shifting away from traditional allies like France and the U.S.
For Kenya, the challenge now lies in balancing its values with strategic diplomacy. While it condemns military coups, it must also engage with regions in flux, where power is often shifting hands by force rather than by vote.
