This archive report was first published on 6 August 2019.
On August 5, 2019, President Uhuru Kenyatta arrived in Jamaica, marking the beginning of a historic visit that would unveil a surprising family connection. Speaking in Kingston, the Kenyan head of state revealed that he has family ties in the Caribbean nation.
According to President Kenyatta, his wife's brother's mother hails from Jamaica, a revelation that left many Kenyans scratching their heads. 'We did indeed affirm the Prime Minister was telling me that the Jamaican diaspora is everywhere in almost every country, so he was wondering about the possibility of whether there is a Jamaican diaspora in Kenya, and I told him yes, I can confirm even the fact that my wife's brother's mother comes from Jamaica,' he said.
President Kenyatta's visit to Jamaica was at the invitation of Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness, who is expected to discuss opportunities for enhanced bilateral relations between Kenya and Jamaica. The Kenyan head of state is also scheduled to visit the museum of iconic reggae singer Bob Marley and the shrine of Jamaican-born Pan-African reggae artist Marcus Mosiah Garvey.
As expected, Kenyans on Twitter had a field day with the revelation, with many expressing their skepticism and confusion. 'Amepeleka ukenya huko ndugu ya baba ya mama bla bla,' tweeted @Ngomz, while @KevinBett stated, 'This must have been during the joint meeting.'
