President Uhuru Kenyatta has sided with the World Health Organisation (WHO) for their efforts in combating the Covid-19 pandemic after US President Donald Trump launched verbal attacks at the global health body.
In a statement issued by State House on Thursday, April 9, the head of state acknowledged WHO's effort in tackling the pandemic.
"His Excellency President Uhuru Kenyatta has joined other African Heads of State and Government in voicing his support for WHO under Dr Tedros for the organisation's leading role in the consolidation of multilateral efforts in the fight against the Coronavirus pandemic.
"President Kenyatta echoed the position of the African Union saying Covid-19 will be defeated much faster if the world pulls in the same direction," the statement reads.
On Tuesday, April 7, Trump threatened to withdraw US funding for WHO.
He had accused WHO of bias, alleging the agency favoured China and also that it had failed to offer support, earlier when he attempted to restrict travel from the Asian nation.
"We’re going to put a hold on money spent to the WHO. They seem to be very China-centric...They seem to err always on the side of China," Trump stated.
President Kenyatta joined a host of leaders in expressing their support for the global health body after WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus revealed on Wednesday, April 8, 2020, that he had received death threats and racist attacks.
The WHO director general, an Ethiopian citizen, in a briefing on Wednesday, April 8, revealed that attacks against him had been ongoing for about a month.
"Abuse, or racist comments, giving me names, black or Negro...even death threats. If you don’t believe in unity, please prepare for the worst to come," Tudros stated, further warning countries against trying to exploit the pandemic for political gain.
Presidents Paul Kagame of Rwanda, Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa, Mohammed Buhari of Nigeria, African Union Commission chairperson, along with several others have since expressed their support for WHO.
