Uhuru Meets Pope Francis at Vatican Palace [PHOTOS]

Uhuru Meets Pope Francis at Vatican Palace [PHOTOS]

President Uhuru Kenyatta on Friday, November 6 held a meeting with his host His Holiness Pope Francis at the Vatican Palace.

The President arrived in Italy today morning for an official visit to the State of the Vatican City.

President Kenyatta was accorded a full Apostolic Palace State reception including a guard of honour mounted by the Swiss Guards the Pope upon his arrival at the official Papal Residence before proceeding to a meeting with the Pope who is also the head the independent Vatican City State.

The President together with Kenyan delegation that included Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Raychelle Omamo held bilateral talks with their hosts led by Cardinal Bishop Pietro Parolin.

Cardinal Bishop Parolin is the current Secretary of State of the Holy See and runs the Secretariat of State and Diplomatic Service of the Vatican City State.

The two delegations discussed several subjects of mutual interest between Kenya and the Holy City among them education, health, regional peace and security as well as the fight against Covid-19.

Uhuru pleaded with the Catholic Church’s to continue with its participation in Kenya’s education, training and health sectors in support of the Government’s Big 4 Agenda especially the ongoing roll out of the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) program.

The Catholic Church is one of Kenya’s foremost development partners especially in the education and health sectors.

The Catholic Church runs over 7,740 schools (31 percent of all schools in the country), manages 220 vocational institutions, five colleges and a university.

It is also the largest non-state provider of health services in the country with close to 500 health facilities spread across the country.

The two delegations also discussed Kenya’s role in regional peace and security especially in South Sudan where Pope Francis is personally involved.