Kenya-Italy diplomatic row escalates after Italian Space Agency’s CEO snubs meeting
Kenya threatens to shut down Italian Malindi Space Station after its CEO snubbed a meeting escalating diplomatic tension between the two countries
Kenya threatens to shut down Italian Malindi Space Station after its CEO snubbed a meeting escalating diplomatic tension between the two countries.
Malindi Space Station, operated by the Italian government faces shutdown due to persistent breaches of their bilateral agreement by the Luigi Broglio Space Centre in Kilifi County.
This is after the National Committee on Implementation, led by Budalangi MP Raphael Wanjala in an official statement expressed regret over Italy’s failure to uphold its end of the bargain.
This could potentially result in the station’s closure unless the Italian partners comply with the agreement’s provisions.
The committee has particularly voiced its frustration regarding the Italian Space Agency’s CEO, who was conspicuously absent from a scheduled meeting.
The Italian Space Agency’s CEO absence happened despite prior notification of the committee’s plans to tour the space centre and hold discussions.
“If we cannot have the right person answering our questions, we may have to exercise the exit clause of this agreement. There was an advance notice given to the Italian side, but the absence of the CEO from this critical meeting is a sign of absolute lack of commitment to this process,” Wanjala complained.
The legislators questioned whether the project is benefitting Kenyans after Defence Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale questioned the space station’s failure to pay annual rent and remit money collected from third parties.
After visiting the facility on Friday, August 11, and engaging personnel working at the Italian Space Centre the MPs emphasised that the issues raised by the CS were grave and need immediate resolution.
MPs emphasized that the project’s main objective was to advance Kenyans’ interests and that this objective is being hampered by the agreement’s persistent and recurrent violations.
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Although the bilateral agreement between Kenya and Italy, established in December 2020, was intended to be in effect, the recent unfolding circumstances might necessitate Kenya’s withdrawal from the accord.
Patrick Mariru, the Principal Secretary for Defense, appealed to the Committee for swift resolution of this matter, stressing that the Ministry has already highlighted the concerns extensively.
“We have engaged at different levels on this matter, and it’s your responsibility as the people’s representative to guide us, and having had prior discussions on this we leave it to this Committee to guide us on the way forward,” the PS stated.
Duale disclosed that Italy had not compensated Kenya for the 3.5 hectares on which the facility is constructed.
Other concerns raised by the CS included the facility’s withholding of collected data from Kenya, citing a deficiency in transparency and accountability by the opposite number.
“It is in the interest of the Italian government to come quickly and fix this problem on behalf of the Italian space agency,” Duale remarked.
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