President Uhuru Kenyatta reassures PM Abiy of Kenya support for Ethiopia

President Uhuru Kenyatta has pledged his country's support to the new Ethiopian government that was formed on Monday.

President Kenyatta reassured of his backing while delivering his speech at the inauguration of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed in Addis Ababa's Meskal Square on Monday.

"I stand here to offer you our support as you continue with your endeavors to rebuild Ethiopia" said President Kenyatta.

"Kenya stands ready to work shoulder to shoulder with our brothers and sisters in Ethiopia to build a great region of prosperity and peace. My brother, we assure you our support but equally my brother, I remind you that today that the people of Ethiopia have given you mandate to lead, a mandate to bring peace, a mandate to bring stability and a mandate to bring all the people of Ethiopia together," he added. 

The Kenyan President noted that Ethiopia is the mother of African independence and the only African country that wasn't colonised.

"For the continent, Ethiopia is our mother and as you all know if the mother is not at peace then the family cannot have peace," he said. 

President Kenyatta arrived in the Ethiopian capital on Monday to attend the inaugural ceremony of the formation of Ethiopia's new government.

Upon arrival at Addis Ababa Bole International Airport, President Kenyatta was welcomed by Finance Minister Ahmed Shide and Education Minister Getahun Mekuria.

At the public inauguration ceremony, hundreds  of thousands of Ethiopians, members of the diplomatic community and leaders of various countries gathered for the fete.

Presidents Salva Kiir (South Sudan), Ismaïl Omar Guelleh (Djibouti), Muhammadu Buhari (Nigeria), Macky Sall (Senegal) and Jean-Michel Sama Lukonde (Prime Minister of Democratic Republic of Congo) attended the event.

PM Abiy’s inauguration for a second five-year term in office comes after governing Prosperity Party won the country’s parliamentary elections held in June.