Kenya welcomed Dutch King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima on Monday for a state visit, despite rising allegations of human rights abuses in the East African nation.
As the royals arrived for a three-day visit, Kenyan citizens voiced their displeasure, flooding inboxes with over 20,000 signatures petitioning for the visit’s cancellation.
The Kenyan government has faced mounting criticism for its crackdown on opposition, particularly after violent anti-government protests in June.
Demonstrators stormed parliament and set part of the building on fire in response to new taxes.
The unrest continued with state-sanctioned abductions of young men for social media posts deemed critical of President William Ruto.
Amnesty International and local rights groups have urged both Kenya and the Netherlands to prioritize human rights during the royal visit.
In a recent statement, Amnesty called for accountability for victims of the violent government crackdown.
Despite the controversy, the Dutch royals’ visit proceeded as planned.
On Tuesday, King Willem-Alexander was honored with a 21-gun salute, and an honor guard greeted him, signaling diplomatic significance.
However, the royal visit was met with indifference from many Kenyans, who expressed low morale and distrust toward the government.
Professor Macharia Munene from the United States International University-Africa noted that citizens are disillusioned, with public services like health and education faltering.
He suggested that Kenya’s once strong diplomatic standing has diminished in recent years.
