Kenya condemns UN undersecretary’s ‘remarks’ against President Ruto | World News

A senior Kenyan official said on Friday that Kenya was “disturbed” by President William Ruto’s comments, reportedly identified as the UN’s undersecretary-general in a leaked classified U.S. document.

Citing a leaked document, the BBC reported this week that Amina Mohamed told UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in February that Ruto was “ruthless” and that she “did not trust him”. Nairobi is an important hub for United Nations operations.

Reuters has not independently verified the document’s authenticity.

Asked about Mohammad’s reported remarks, Kenya’s top foreign affairs official, Korir Sing’oei, called them “troubling” on Friday, while also noting that “Kenya abhors the surveillance of UN leadership”.

Sing’oei said Ruto would continue his international efforts to fight climate change, reform global financial institutions and provide leadership on regional peace and security issues.

“Therefore, the President will not be distracted by the information contained in the tainted leaked memo,” he said.

United Nations spokesman Stephane Dujarric said on Friday that Mohammed’s remarks were “terribly distorted” and had been “taken out of context”.

“She has the highest respect for President Ruto and his leadership,” Dujarric said, adding that she would meet the president during a pre-planned visit to Nairobi later this month. .

Martin Kimani, Kenya’s ambassador to the United Nations, told Reuters on Friday that he had spoken to Guterres and Mohammed “to clarify the significance of what they reported about the sentiment” and expressed Kenya’s opposition to the Secretary-General’s position on surveillance.

Such surveillance violates the founding UN Charter, other international laws and accepted practices, Kimani said.

“I am reassured by their expressions of strong support, fellowship and strong partnership with Kenya, and especially the respect and respect they have for President William Ruto,” Kimani said.

(Reporting by Duncan Miriri in Nairobi and Michelle Nichols in New York; Editing by Richard Chang)