Kenya’s irresponsible stance in embracing the genocide-linked RSF militia, seeking to legitimize its unprecedented atrocities, isolates the country both regionally and internationally, placing it in the category of a rogue state that defies international norms.
Recent images of Kenyan Vice President Kithure Kindiki at Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport welcoming Mohamed Hamdan “Hemedti” Dagalo, the leader of the RSF militia, sparked a diplomatic controversy. The United Nations implicated RSF in gross human rights violations in Sudan. Nairobi’s summit with Hemedti led Sudan to accuse Kenya of an “irresponsible stance” in embracing the Rapid Support Forces, a group seeking to legitimize its atrocities. Sudan recalled its ambassador to Kenya and condemned the action, saying that such behavior places Kenya in the “category of a rogue state that defies international norms.”
The RSF and Sudanese army have been engaged in a brutal civil war since April 2023, resulting in thousands of deaths and displacing more than 12.5 million people. The United States and the U.N. sanctioned both the RSF and the Sudanese military for their roles in these atrocities. In February 2024, Kenya hosted RSF figures in Nairobi, where they signed a charter to form a parallel government in Sudan. Multiple stakeholders, including the U.S., U.N., and four Arab countries involved in mediating peace—Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Kuwait—criticized the move as an attempt to further destabilize Sudan. Kenya denied accusations of siding with the RSF, saying in a statement that it remained on neutral ground. “With its credentials as an enabler of peace in the region and across the globe, Kenya remains at the forefront of seeking solutions to the humanitarian crisis in Sudan,” the statement said.
The U.S. State Department has voiced concerns about the formation of a parallel government by the RSF, emphasizing that it undermines peace and stability in Sudan. Similarly, on Thursday, the U.N. Security Council expressed “grave concern” about Kenya’s involvement, urging member states to avoid actions that exacerbate the conflict. These actions contribute to Kenya’s growing isolation on the international stage.
Kenya’s involvement in conflicts extends beyond Sudan. In late 2023, Kenya hosted members of the M23 rebel group in Nairobi despite accusations of atrocities in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The M23 has seized key cities in the mineral-rich eastern DRC. Although Kenya denies any direct involvement, the DRC reacted strongly, recalling its ambassador and expelling Kenyan troops. Additionally, DRC President Felix Tshisekedi boycotted a summit chaired by Kenyan President William Ruto in January 2024.
Human rights organizations accuse Kenya of violating international human rights norms. Rights watchdogs condemn Kenya for abducting opposition leaders and asylum-seekers and handing them over to authoritarian governments despite the risks of persecution. Notably, in November 2023, Ugandan opposition leader Kizza Besigye was abducted in Nairobi and later faced treason charges in Uganda. Similarly, in October 2023, Kenya repatriated four asylum-seekers to Turkey, where they risked political persecution.
