King Charles welcomes South Africa’s Ramaphosa for first state visit
BULAWAYO—President Cyril Ramaphosa hailed President Emmanuel “Ike” Ramaphosa’s meeting in Nairobi with Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta as a “historic” and “strategic” event, and said the leaders discussed challenges facing Africa.
Ramaphosa made a short statement after the two leaders held talks in Nairobi on Saturday.
Ramaphosa was accompanied by his wife, Grace, who was received by the president-elect, and his senior aides.
Kenya’s president, however, did not meet with his South African counterpart.
Ramaphosa also met with his foreign minister, David Mabuza, and visited the Presidential Museum in Nairobi.
Meanwhile, the president-elect’s cabinet has been announced.
National Assembly speaker James Nzenga has been appointed as minister of natural resources and tourism, while the minister for defence and foreign affairs Yemi Kodwa will be named as minister of tourism and sport.
The Cabinet has been chaired by Justice Minister Patrick Makau Mutiga, who will be replaced by Nzenga, the parliamentary spokesman said.
President Kenyatta’s chief of staff, Alfred Mutua, will become acting minister of information and the minister of trade and industry, Emmanuel Chege, will take over as the minister for trade and industry.
The other members of the Cabinet are:
Information and Tourism minister: Patrick Makau Mutua
Justice and Treasury minister: James Nzenga
Trade and Industry minister: Emmanuel Chege
Sustainable and Creative Minister: Charles Nzanvu
Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Authority chairman, Hon. David Bahati, will assume the role as the acting minister of finance.
The appointments came after a long consultation process during which public nominations were accepted and the new Cabinet was selected on Friday.
Ahead of the meeting, Ramaphosa said South Africa was “in a better place today than we were 12 months ago” and urged the international community to “unite” to bring the country out of its present economic challenges.
Ramaphosa told the president-elect: “Mr. President, we’re