Governor Nyong’o censures Bidco over Israeli trade amid Gaza war

Kisumu Governor Anyang' Nyong'o has once again waded into the ongoing Gaza war, this time asking Bidco Oil Refineries Ltd to cut ties with Israel.

The county boss urged the company to refrain from dealing with Israeli companies as one way of protesting against the war in Gaza, pitting Israel against the Hamas of Palestine.

Nyong'o issued a statement on Monday saying an Israeli economic and trade mission was in Kenya to meet Bidco Group chairperson, Vimal Shah, at a meeting which discussed collaboration with Israeli companies in the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector.

He regretted the move, saying it was sad that more than 25,000 Palestinians had been killed in the war, and that he was concerned that Bidco had decided to engage in business with Israel despite the fighting.

The Kisumu governor called on the Bidco chief to refrain from dealing with Israeli companies.

"We are calling on our brother Vimal to restrain his company from taking this move in line with the decisions taken by the UN and the International Court of Justice. The two-stage approach is the only viable way of solving the conflict between Israel and her neighbours," he said.

The war started on October 7, 2023. At least 29,195 people, mostly women and children, have been killed in Palestine, according to the latest count by the Gaza health ministry. About 1,160 people in Israel, mostly civilians, have died according to an AFP tally.

Currently, world leaders are pursuing a ceasefire as the International Court of Justice (ICJ) hears matters on Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories.

This was Nyong'o's second statement on the Gaza war, following one last November in which he noted that "the bloody conflict between Israel and Palestine has had a ripple effect on many countries across the world".

"Progressive forces in Africa, led by the African Union, cannot stand by and let this happen," he said and appealed to the AU to ask all its member states "to immediately break diplomatic relations with Israel in solidarity with our comrades in Gaza and the West bank".

At the time, Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Singo'ei responded to the governor's statement, noting that county governments have no role to play in the execution of foreign policy matters.

Foreign policy is the exclusive domain of National Government. Kenya abhors the gross violation of international humanitarian law in Gaza. It has not taken any decision to server diplomatic ties with Israel nor is the matter under consideration. Kenya continues to call for an… pic.twitter.com/SstpeUTenN

— Korir Sing'Oei (@SingoeiAKorir) November 16, 2023

Singo'ei noted that matters of foreign policy are exclusive to the national government and that counties have no function in this.

"Foreign policy is the exclusive domain of the national government," he said, adding, however, that "Kenya abhors the gross violation of international humanitarian law in Gaza".

The PS also noted that Kenya had not taken any decision to cut diplomatic ties with Israel and that this was not a matter under consideration.

"Kenya continues to call for an immediate ceasefire and resumption of dialogue to resolve the difficult issues that underpin the current escalation," the PS said.

By press time on Tuesday, neither the PS nor Bidco and Vimal had responded to Governor Nyong'o's latest statement. The Kenyan government also had not issued a statement on the matter.