Wetang’ula contradicts Kenya's official policy on Western Sahara
Speaker of the National Assembly Moses Wetang’ula.
What you need to know:
- Mr Wetang’ula’s position contradicts that of the Kenya Kwanza government which his party is a coalition partner.
- Kenya formally opened an embassy in Rabat in May although it had actually been launched in December 2023.
Speaker of the National Assembly Moses Wetang’ula has called on the African Union to safeguard the interests of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic as a sovereign state, contradicting the official policy of his government.
It has emerged that Mr Wetang’ula has communicated with the AU to spearhead the welfare of the Sahrawi to foster regional prosperity.
According to an official dispatch from Parliament, Mr Wetang’ula stated his position on the matter on Thursday during a meeting with Mohamed-Liman Ali Ami, the ambassador of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic in Kenya.
"I have appealed to the African Union to champion this cause to promote the growth, peace and prosperity of this young nation," he said.
“Our discussions also focused on strengthening the bilateral relationship between our two nations and exploring ways to deepen diplomatic engagement for the mutual benefit of our citizens," the Speaker explained.
Mr Wetang’ula’s position contradicts that of the Kenya Kwanza government which his Ford Kenya party is a coalition partner.
Since 2022, Kenya has backed autonomy for Western Sahara, the southern region which Morocco has claimed as its territory. That policy changed from an initial support for total independence to autonomy, but it was only made public in May 2025.
However, according to Wetang'ula, the Sahrawi people have an inherent right to independence and self-determination.
Kenya hosts the Sahrawi embassy but had agreed with Morocco to “gradually wind it down,” according to an official document that the Daily Nation has seen.
Mohamed-Liman Ali Ami paid a courtesy call on Wetang’ula, a former Cabinet Minister for Foreign Affairs, even as Nairobi tightened plans to improve its relations with Morocco. Kenya formally opened an embassy in Rabat in May although it had actually been launched in December 2023.
After the meeting, a senior Kenyan diplomat said Mr Wetang’ula made a personal proposal which won’t affect Kenya’s position.
“We have critical interests to advance in and with North Africa and Sahrawi is not a matter we will expend energy on,” the official said.
Ami expressed his gratitude for Kenya’s unwavering support noting that Nairobi has been a core critical pillar towards lasting stability to the Sahrawi people.
In the past, Kenya was among vocal backers of Sahrawi and was instrumental to their admission to the Organization of African Unity, the precursor to the African Union.
However, under President Ruto, Nairobi has said autonomy will be the only achievable solution in the current circumstance, guided by the UJN mechanism.
In May, Kenya’s Foreign and Diaspora Affairs Cabinet Secretary, Musalia Mudavadi met with his Moroccan counterpart, Nasser Bourita in Rabat and declared this position publicly for the first time. But it was actually made in September 2022.
“The Republic of Kenya considers the autonomy plan as the only sustainable approach to the resolution of the Sahara issue and intends to cooperate with like-minded states to foster its realization,” a joint statement said in May.