Lady Whistledown
JF-Expert Member
- Aug 2, 2021
- 1,140
- 1,967
Marais wa #Kenya na #Nigeria wamekumbana na Ukosoaji wa hali ya juu baada ya kusafiri mara kwa mara nje ya nchi zao, ambapo safari hizo zimegharimu fedha nyingi huku nyingine zinatajwa kutokuwa na 'uzito' kulinganishwa na hali ya Mgogoro wa Kiuchumi katika Nchi hizo
Wakati Rais Ruto akipewa jina la #FlyingPresident (Rais anayeruka), Jan. 2024 wakati Tinubu akisafiri kwenda Ulaya, kiongozi wa Upinzani nchini Nigeria Atiku Abubakar alisema Nchi hiyo haihitaji 'Kiongozi Mtalii' wakati ikizama katika Bahari ya Uhalifu na Kukosa Usalama
Lakini wengine wametilia maanani kwamba aliyekuwa Rais wa Tanzania marehemu John Magufuli hajawahi kusafiri nje ya Afrika katika miaka sita aliyokuwa madarakani.
Mchambuzi wa sera za kigeni wa Kenya Profesa Macharia Munene anakubali kwamba safari fulani ni muhimu lakini anasema nyingine bila shaka ni "zisizofaa" na ni kwa utukufu wa kibinafsi, si kwa faida ya nchi"
Ruto, Tinubu na wasemaji wao wanatetea safari zao kama muhimu kusaidia kutatua matatizo ambayo wanalaumiwa kwa kuyapuuzia.
Katika miezi minane tangu kuchaguliwa kwake, Bwana Tinubu amefanya safari 14 - wastani wa chini ya mbili kwa mwezi - lakini hii ni ndogo ikilinganishwa na Bwana Ruto, ambaye amefanya safari kama 50 tangu achaguliwe kuwa rais mwaka 2022 - wastani wa zaidi ya tatu kwa mwezi.
Ikilinganishwa na hilo, mtangulizi wa Bwana Ruto, Uhuru Kenyatta, alikuwa na wastani wa safari za nje ya nchi kidogo zaidi ya moja kwa mwezi katika muongo wake madarakani, sawa na rekodi ya rais wa Nigeria aliyeondoka madarakani kabla yake, Muhammadu Buhari.
Viongozi wengine wa dunia pia wamekusanya maili za angani, lakini Bwana Ruto na Bwana Tinubu wanakabiliwa na maswali yanayoendelea kuhusu ikiwa kila safari ni muhimu.
Marais wa Nigeria na Kenya walikuwa Ulaya mwishoni mwa mwezi uliopita - Bwana Ruto nchini Italia akishiriki mkutano wa Italia-Afrika huku Bwana Tinubu akiendelea na "ziara ya kibinafsi" isiyojulikana sababu yake nchini Ufaransa, mara ya tatu amekuwepo nchini humo tangu Mei iliyopita. Tangu wakati huo, Bwana Ruto amefanya safari nyingine.
Mwezi wa 6 Mwaka 2023, Wiki 3 tu baada ya kuingia madarakani, Tinubu alisafiri Paris kuhudhuria mkutano wa siku mbili wa mabadiliko ya hali ya hewa. Alikuwa tayari amekwenda hapo miezi kadhaa mapema "kupumzika" na kupanga namna ya makabidhiano muda mfupi baada ya kuchaguliwa kuwa rais.
Alipotoka Paris alielekea Uingereza kwa mazungumzo binafsi na mtangulizi wake, ambaye pia alikuwa amesafiri "kupumzika" baada ya uchaguzi. Wiki moja baadaye, Bwana Tinubu alienda Guinea-Bissau kwa mkutano wa Jumuiya ya Uchumi ya Afrika Magharibi Ecowas, akifuatiwa na safari kwenda Nairobi.
Mwezi wa Nane alitembelea Benin, na mwezi wa tisa India, Falme za Kiarabu na Marekani kuhudhuria Mkutano Mkuu wa Umoja wa Mataifa kabla ya kurejea Paris.
Alikaa nyumbani mwezi mzima wa Oktoba kabla ya kuanza tena safari kwa kwenda Saudi Arabia, kisha Guinea-Bissau na Ujerumani mwishoni mwa Novemba na wiki moja baadaye alisafiri kwenda Dubai.
Ikulu ya Nigeria imesema safari hizo ni muhimu kwa kuwavutia wawekezaji wa kigeni.
-
Kenyan President William Ruto and Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu attend the "AU Mid-Year Coordination Meeting" in Nairobi, Kenya on July 16, 2023Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,
Critics have targeted both Kenyan President William Ruto (L) and Nigerian President Bola Tinubu (R) for the number of trips they have made
By Basillioh Rukanga
BBC News
Since Kenya's William Ruto and Nigeria's Bola Tinubu became presidents, they have faced similar criticism over their frequent trips abroad.
The two men have been the subject of unflattering descriptions - the costs associated with their alleged penchant for air travel often contrasted with tough economic conditions at home.
A Kenyan newspaper, the Standard, nicknamed Mr Ruto the "Flying President". It said "so great is his love for flying that it appears that he cannot pass up any opportunity" despite pressing domestic demands, such as dealing with the high cost of living.
Last month, as Mr Tinubu made yet another trip to Europe, Nigeria's opposition leader Atiku Abubakar said on social media that Nigeria does not need a "tourist-in-chief". He criticised the president's private visit "while Nigeria is drowning in the ocean of insecurity".
This in some ways can be seen as a cheap shot, easily levelled by any critic. Presidents need to attend heads-of-state meetings and nurture foreign relations. This is important not only for diplomatic reasons, but also economic ones, as lucrative investment deals can be negotiated.
But some have pointed out that late Tanzanian President John Magufuli never travelled outside Africa in his six years in office.
'Personal glorification'
Kenyan foreign policy analyst Prof Macharia Munene acknowledges that some trips are necessary but says others are undoubtedly "wasteful".
"You have presidents who love to be in the air... Some of these trips are personal glorifications, not so much for the country," he told the BBC.
Mr Ruto and Mr Tinubu and their spokespeople defend their trips as being vital to help address the very problems they are accused of ignoring.
In the eight months since his inauguration, Mr Tinubu has made 14 trips - an average of just under two a month - but this is dwarfed by Mr Ruto, who has made about 50 journeys abroad since he became president in 2022 - averaging more than three a month.
In comparison, Mr Ruto's predecessor, Uhuru Kenyatta, averaged just over one foreign trip a month in his decade in charge, similar to the record of Nigeria's previous president, Muhammadu Buhari.
Source: BBC
Wakati Rais Ruto akipewa jina la #FlyingPresident (Rais anayeruka), Jan. 2024 wakati Tinubu akisafiri kwenda Ulaya, kiongozi wa Upinzani nchini Nigeria Atiku Abubakar alisema Nchi hiyo haihitaji 'Kiongozi Mtalii' wakati ikizama katika Bahari ya Uhalifu na Kukosa Usalama
Lakini wengine wametilia maanani kwamba aliyekuwa Rais wa Tanzania marehemu John Magufuli hajawahi kusafiri nje ya Afrika katika miaka sita aliyokuwa madarakani.
Mchambuzi wa sera za kigeni wa Kenya Profesa Macharia Munene anakubali kwamba safari fulani ni muhimu lakini anasema nyingine bila shaka ni "zisizofaa" na ni kwa utukufu wa kibinafsi, si kwa faida ya nchi"
Ruto, Tinubu na wasemaji wao wanatetea safari zao kama muhimu kusaidia kutatua matatizo ambayo wanalaumiwa kwa kuyapuuzia.
Katika miezi minane tangu kuchaguliwa kwake, Bwana Tinubu amefanya safari 14 - wastani wa chini ya mbili kwa mwezi - lakini hii ni ndogo ikilinganishwa na Bwana Ruto, ambaye amefanya safari kama 50 tangu achaguliwe kuwa rais mwaka 2022 - wastani wa zaidi ya tatu kwa mwezi.
Ikilinganishwa na hilo, mtangulizi wa Bwana Ruto, Uhuru Kenyatta, alikuwa na wastani wa safari za nje ya nchi kidogo zaidi ya moja kwa mwezi katika muongo wake madarakani, sawa na rekodi ya rais wa Nigeria aliyeondoka madarakani kabla yake, Muhammadu Buhari.
Viongozi wengine wa dunia pia wamekusanya maili za angani, lakini Bwana Ruto na Bwana Tinubu wanakabiliwa na maswali yanayoendelea kuhusu ikiwa kila safari ni muhimu.
Marais wa Nigeria na Kenya walikuwa Ulaya mwishoni mwa mwezi uliopita - Bwana Ruto nchini Italia akishiriki mkutano wa Italia-Afrika huku Bwana Tinubu akiendelea na "ziara ya kibinafsi" isiyojulikana sababu yake nchini Ufaransa, mara ya tatu amekuwepo nchini humo tangu Mei iliyopita. Tangu wakati huo, Bwana Ruto amefanya safari nyingine.
Mwezi wa 6 Mwaka 2023, Wiki 3 tu baada ya kuingia madarakani, Tinubu alisafiri Paris kuhudhuria mkutano wa siku mbili wa mabadiliko ya hali ya hewa. Alikuwa tayari amekwenda hapo miezi kadhaa mapema "kupumzika" na kupanga namna ya makabidhiano muda mfupi baada ya kuchaguliwa kuwa rais.
Alipotoka Paris alielekea Uingereza kwa mazungumzo binafsi na mtangulizi wake, ambaye pia alikuwa amesafiri "kupumzika" baada ya uchaguzi. Wiki moja baadaye, Bwana Tinubu alienda Guinea-Bissau kwa mkutano wa Jumuiya ya Uchumi ya Afrika Magharibi Ecowas, akifuatiwa na safari kwenda Nairobi.
Mwezi wa Nane alitembelea Benin, na mwezi wa tisa India, Falme za Kiarabu na Marekani kuhudhuria Mkutano Mkuu wa Umoja wa Mataifa kabla ya kurejea Paris.
Alikaa nyumbani mwezi mzima wa Oktoba kabla ya kuanza tena safari kwa kwenda Saudi Arabia, kisha Guinea-Bissau na Ujerumani mwishoni mwa Novemba na wiki moja baadaye alisafiri kwenda Dubai.
Ikulu ya Nigeria imesema safari hizo ni muhimu kwa kuwavutia wawekezaji wa kigeni.
-
Kenyan President William Ruto and Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu attend the "AU Mid-Year Coordination Meeting" in Nairobi, Kenya on July 16, 2023Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,
Critics have targeted both Kenyan President William Ruto (L) and Nigerian President Bola Tinubu (R) for the number of trips they have made
By Basillioh Rukanga
BBC News
Since Kenya's William Ruto and Nigeria's Bola Tinubu became presidents, they have faced similar criticism over their frequent trips abroad.
The two men have been the subject of unflattering descriptions - the costs associated with their alleged penchant for air travel often contrasted with tough economic conditions at home.
A Kenyan newspaper, the Standard, nicknamed Mr Ruto the "Flying President". It said "so great is his love for flying that it appears that he cannot pass up any opportunity" despite pressing domestic demands, such as dealing with the high cost of living.
Last month, as Mr Tinubu made yet another trip to Europe, Nigeria's opposition leader Atiku Abubakar said on social media that Nigeria does not need a "tourist-in-chief". He criticised the president's private visit "while Nigeria is drowning in the ocean of insecurity".
This in some ways can be seen as a cheap shot, easily levelled by any critic. Presidents need to attend heads-of-state meetings and nurture foreign relations. This is important not only for diplomatic reasons, but also economic ones, as lucrative investment deals can be negotiated.
But some have pointed out that late Tanzanian President John Magufuli never travelled outside Africa in his six years in office.
'Personal glorification'
Kenyan foreign policy analyst Prof Macharia Munene acknowledges that some trips are necessary but says others are undoubtedly "wasteful".
"You have presidents who love to be in the air... Some of these trips are personal glorifications, not so much for the country," he told the BBC.
Mr Ruto and Mr Tinubu and their spokespeople defend their trips as being vital to help address the very problems they are accused of ignoring.
In the eight months since his inauguration, Mr Tinubu has made 14 trips - an average of just under two a month - but this is dwarfed by Mr Ruto, who has made about 50 journeys abroad since he became president in 2022 - averaging more than three a month.
In comparison, Mr Ruto's predecessor, Uhuru Kenyatta, averaged just over one foreign trip a month in his decade in charge, similar to the record of Nigeria's previous president, Muhammadu Buhari.
Source: BBC
