President Uhuru Kenyatta cancelled his trip to Los Angeles, USA, mid-air on Wednesday, in a dramatic incident that saw his plane turn back to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).
Uhuru was set to fly to Dubai with his Presidential Jet and board a Fly Emirates flight to LA. However, while in Yemen airspace, his plane changed course and returned to Kenya unexpectedly.
Circumstances of Cancellation ¶
The Government stated that the President returned due to the ongoing fighting in Yemen, which made it dangerous for planes to cross their airspace. Other theories suggested that Eritrea refused to clear him to use its airspace due to a diplomatic standoff with Ethiopia and Kenya.
However, reliable sources indicated that Uhuru’s move to cancel the LA trip had nothing to do with the fighting in Yemen or diplomatic issues with Eritrea and Ethiopia. Instead, it was reportedly due to an abrupt change of programming at the Milken Institute, where he was scheduled to speak.
According to sources, Uhuru was removed from the program at the last minute and replaced by Rwandan President Paul Kagame. The Head of State only learned about the change of program while in the air, prompting him to cancel his trip.
Milken Institute Event ¶
Kagame was listed to speak at the Milken Institute Corporate and Investor Roundtable, representing both Kenyan and Rwandan delegations. The only Kenyan invited to speak at the forum was Safaricom CEO, Bob Collymore, in his capacity as a corporate leader.
Kenya was not among the countries listed to participate in the Milken Institute Event, where corporate and government officials meet to discuss business.
