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During his inaugural
visit to Kenya to attend the 61st Independence Anniversary celebration of the
Republic of Kenya, President Adama Barrow participated in Jumu’ah prayers at a Nairobi Mosque on Friday. He was accompanied by his delegation and the Kenyan Minister
of Mines, Ali Hassan Joho E.G.H. President Barrow
received a warm welcome from the Imam and congregation, expressing his
gratitude for being honored as a member of their community. As a practicing
Muslim, he emphasized the importance of attending Friday prayers wherever he
travels. He also thanked President William Ruto for inviting him as the Guest
of Honour for Kenya's Jamhuri Day celebration. Following the
prayers, President Barrow enjoyed a traditional Kenyan Nyama Choma lunch at a
local restaurant. In the afternoon, the
Gambian leader visited the Ken-Gen Geothermal Power Plant, recognised as the
second largest in the world, located approximately a twenty-minute flight from
Nairobi. The plant has a production capacity of 800 megawatts. Later that day,
President Barrow met with Honourable Julius Migos Ogamba, the Kenyan Minister
for Education, and his team at the hotel. Their discussions focused on
potential collaborations in the education sector. With the necessary political
will, President Barrow directed his team to engage in further discussions with
experts to advance this partnership. The Gambia's Honorary Consul in Kenya,
Ambassador Dr. John O. Kakonge, was present and assigned to follow up on the
development of a Memorandum of Understanding. Additionally, the
Consul accompanied representatives of the Gambian student body in Kenya for a
courtesy call on President Barrow. This group was led by Abdou Rahim Jallow, a
PhD student in Civil Engineering, along with Muhammed Lamin Kebbeh and Nyima Touray,
who are studying in various fields. President Barrow commended the students for
representing The Gambia positively. Currently, an average of thirty Gambian
students are enrolled in Kenyan institutions. Before his departure
on Saturday, President Barrow visited a model affordable housing scheme
designed for low-income earners and residents of slums. He was led on a tour by
Honourable Alice Wahome, the Minister for Lands, Public Works, Housing, and
Urban Development, to observe the ongoing construction of high-rise buildings
initiated by President Ruto. The construction site
employs approximately 3,000 people each day. Reflecting on the visit, President
Barrow expressed appreciation for the project’s potential to improve the lives
of disadvantaged citizens, considering it a source of inspiration.
President Barrow's official delegation to Kenya
included Honourable Mod K. Ceesay, Minister and Chief of Staff; H.E. Jainaba
Jagne, the outgoing Gambian Ambassador to the African Union; and Ousman Sowe,
Director General of the State Intelligence Services of The Gambia.
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