Kenya’s envoy to UN stuns the world after delivering speech condemning Russia’s action against Ukraine
Kenya's Ambassador to the United Nations (UN), Martin Kimani on Monday evening stunned the world after he delivered a great speech at the UN Security Council rebuking Russia's action to recognize Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine as independent states.
During the urgent meeting, Kimani said that though there were serious security concerns in the above regions, Russia has failed to justify its move to recognize them as independent states at a time when there are several diplomatic channels that have been put in place to offer peace in the region.
Kimani strongly condemned the trend in the last few decades of powerful states, including members of the Security Council to breach International Law with little regard.
In a heavily worded statement, Kenya's representative said that the action by Russia on Ukraine has defiled multilateralism.
"It has been assaulted, as it has been by other powerful states in the recent past. We call on all member states to stand behind the Secretary-General in asking him to rally us to the standard of defending multilateralism," Kimani said.
While criticizing Russia's view toward Ukraine, Kenya's envoy cited Africa's history. He said that Kenya and other African countries settled for the borders inherited noting that the continent rejected irredentism and expansionism.
"This situation echoes our history. Kenya and almost every African country were birthed by the ending of the empire. Our borders were not of our drawing," he said adding: 'Today across the border of every single African country live our countrymen with whom we share deep bonds."
Kimani's powerful speech, however, attracted positive reactions from Kenya and beyond with some online users describing it as one of the greatest speeches ever delivered at the UN's security council.
Here are some of the reactions to the speech:
