Mudavadi slams MPs' Taiwan travel plans as unpatriotic and reckless

Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi has disclosed that some members of Parliament attempted to organize a visit to Taiwan at the same time President William Ruto was in China for a state visit, calling the move reckless and aimed at undermining Kenya's diplomatic ties with Beijing.

Appearing before the Senate Security and Foreign Affairs Committee on Tuesday, Mudavadi said the trip would have been highly provocative and could have damaged Kenya’s relations with China.

He stated that the MPs' intentions were not only unpatriotic but also seemed designed to disrupt the objectives of the president’s foreign mission.

"We know, there were some people who were pushing to have a delegation from Parliament to go to Taiwan when the President of Kenya is visiting China for a State visit. It could have cost the country a lot,"  Mudavadi said.

He told the committee that such actions by leaders must be weighed carefully, as they carry far-reaching consequences for the nation’s foreign relations and overall well-being.

Mudavadi noted that elected leaders have a responsibility to protect Kenya’s interests and should avoid actions that could lead to diplomatic tensions.

According to Mudavadi, President Ruto’s trip to China had already yielded major benefits, including agreements on infrastructure that will positively transform Kenya’s economy.

During the state visit, Ruto affirmed Kenya’s commitment to the One-China policy, a two-state solution between Israel and Palestine, and peaceful dialogue over the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

"There were some who did not want the government to achieve anything in the visit, today, once the agreed projects are in place we will have an SGR to the border of Uganda at the Malaba and a dual road to same destination, this will spare economic growth in the regions of Nyanza, Rift Valley and Western," Mudavadi noted.

He urged the legislators to lead by example, cautioning them against actions that could mislead the public or compromise Kenya’s international image.

He said their behavior should reflect patriotism and integrity, especially when dealing with foreign matters.

Speaking on foreign investments and Kenya’s diplomatic infrastructure, Mudavadi revealed that the government is working on a policy that aims to grow Kenya’s assets abroad through funding from the exchequer and partnerships with private investors.

"We want to use the exchequer, and where we can, also have public-private partnerships. I say so because if you go to Upper Hill today, and I was the guest of honor, the then Minister for Foreign Affairs of Tanzania came and we jointly broke ground where the pension fund, Tanzania pension fund, is putting up a 22-story building," said the PCS.

He said the building, meant for the Tanzanian embassy, will also serve as a commercial property, generating revenue by leasing unused space—an approach Kenya is keen to adopt for its own embassies.

Mudavadi pointed out that other East African nations have made similar moves, citing Uganda’s ownership of prime buildings in New York, London, and Nairobi, which serve both diplomatic and investment purposes.

"We have a plan to be able to start making serious investment proposals for the assets that we have so that we can maximize the returns and draw, which can then help in funding our missions, more robustly as we go into the future," he added.

He emphasized the need for Kenya to treat its diplomatic properties as strategic investments that can generate income, reduce operational costs abroad, and support stronger international engagements.