Planned visit by US Vice President JD Vance to Kenya called off
The anticipated first official visit by US Vice President JD Vance to Kenya has been cancelled, Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi has announced.
In a statement, Mudavadi said Kenya has been informed by the government of the United States of America of the cancellation of the planned visit to Kenya by the Vice President.
The visit by Vance was scheduled to take place later this month.
“The cancellation follows the recent decision by President Donald Trump directing that American officials shall not attend the forthcoming G20 Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa, where Vice President Vance was to lead the United States delegation before proceeding to Nairobi,” Mudavadi said.
Mudavadi affirmed that Kenya values its longstanding and strategic partnership with the United States, which continues to span key areas of mutual interest, including trade and investment, security cooperation, education, health, and diaspora engagement.
“The Government remains confident that this development will not affect the strong and enduring ties between our two nations,” he said.
The G20 summit, which focuses on inclusive and sustainable development, climate change, energy transition and global financial reform, is scheduled to run from November 22 to 23 in Johannesburg.
Vance’s expected trip to Kenya would have marked the first official visit by a senior US executive official since President Trump returned to power, signalling renewed efforts by Washington to strengthen bilateral ties with Nairobi.
Vance’s proposed visit to Kenya was also expected to touch on strategic and economic interests in East Africa.
Kenya is one of Washington’s closest allies in Africa and has expressed its intention to reach a trade deal with the US by the end of this year.
Reports indicated that Kenya would have sought reassurance regarding its designation as a Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA).
This title was awarded by the Joe Biden administration in 2024, making Kenya the first sub-Saharan country to hold it.
On Friday, President Donald Trump announced that the United States would boycott the G20 Summit, accusing South Africa of mistreating its white minority population.
“It is a total disgrace that the G20 will be held in South Africa,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social account, referencing what he called ‘human rights atrocities’ against white farmers.
The Trump administration has repeatedly accused South Africa’s government of discriminating against white citizens through alleged land seizures and attacks on farms.
The South African government, however, has consistently denied the accusations, maintaining that its land reform policies are aimed at addressing historical injustices, not racial persecution.
“No US government official will attend as long as these human rights atrocities continue,” Trump said in his post, effectively confirming Washington’s absence from the global forum.
