Former President Uhuru Kenyatta has arrived in Benin, Nigeria, for the 2024 Goodluck Jonathan Foundation (GJF) Democracy Dialogue.
This event, now in its third iteration, is organized by the foundation’s founder, former Nigerian President Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, and will be held in the capital of Edo State. Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki will co-host the dialogue.
“This year’s dialogue, with the theme “Functional Education and Effective Political Leadership as a Panacea to Africa’s Growth and Development,” aims to bring together key political leaders, policymakers and experts from across the continent,” Uhuru’s office said in a statement Wednesday evening.
The office of the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation (GJF) has announced that the 2024 Democracy Dialogue will focus on the critical roles of education and the recruitment of effective political leaders in achieving the development goals of African nations.
Former President Uhuru Kenyatta, who currently serves as the African Union (AU) Kenya Peace Envoy and Facilitator of the East African Community (EAC)-Led Nairobi Peace Process, will be a key participant in the dialogue.
Kenyatta’s attendance at the forum follows his recent role in South Africa, where he led the AU poll observer mission during the country’s elections on May 29, 2024, which included the election of a new National Assembly and provincial legislatures.
However, Kenyatta’s travels have sparked controversy due to claims from his office that the government has not fulfilled its obligations under the Retirement Benefits Act for former presidents regarding the facilitation of his foreign trips. This issue has added a layer of complexity to his current engagements and public appearances.
“The Act stipulates that the former President is entitled to foiur international trips. Since retirement to date only two such trip have been honoured,” Uhuru said through his spokesperson Kanze Dena.
State House Spokesperson Hussein Mohamed announced on Tuesday that President William Ruto has formed a team to address the retirement perks concerns raised by former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s office.
The team, led by Head of Public Service Felix Koskei, will tackle various issues, including the location of Kenyatta’s office and the establishment of the necessary staff. Mohamed emphasized that the team would promptly address all the matters raised to ensure that the provisions of the Retirement Benefits Act for former presidents are fully met.
