Govt: Dutch Royal State Visit Will Continue as Planned

Dr Isaac Mwaura, the Government’s Spokesperson, has made it clear that the Dutch state visit to Kenya will go ahead as planned from Tuesday, March 18, to Thursday, March 20, 2025.

This, he said, is despite the hundreds of complaint emails sent by scores of Kenyans to the Dutch Foreign Affairs Ministry, criticising the trip by His Majesty King Willem-Alexander and Her Majesty Queen Máxima of the Netherlands, citing the country’s prevailing state of affairs.

“The King of the Netherlands will still visit the country, and we have ensured everything is in place. We should not sabotage national interests,” said Mwaura, telling off critics on social media.

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The govt spokesman highlighted that President William Ruto’s invitation to the King and Queen of the Netherlands carried great significance in the history of Kenyan-Dutch relations because no reigning Dutch monarch has ever set foot on Kenyan soil, not even in colonial times, and this is going to be the first one.

Mwaura emphasised the need for cooperation between the two countries and their peoples, adding that King Willem-Alexander’s visit to Kenya would become a key component in fostering stronger social and economic ties between Kenya and the Netherlands.

In a statement published last week on the official website of the Royal House of the Netherlands, the royal couple confirmed their attendance:

“This first state visit to Kenya reaffirms the strong relations and fruitful cooperation between our two countries. The Netherlands seeks to build new partnerships across various sectors and deepen our existing ties. Kenya holds an increasingly influential role on the global stage. Furthermore, the Netherlands and Kenya share close economic relations, with both nations serving as major hubs and gateways to large regions.

“Within the UN and other international organisations, too, our two countries work together actively towards goals relating to democracy, the rule of law, and the independence of the judiciary. The Netherlands and Kenya also work together on challenges relating to peace and security, climate change, and food security.”

In Nairobi, the royal couple can expect the full honours and formalities befitting a state visit.

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