Dutch Gov’t receives over 300 emails from Kenyans to cancel Royal trip

The Dutch Foreign Affairs ministry has confirmed receiving over 300 e-mails from Kenyans asking them to cancel the State visit by His Majesty King Willem-Alexander and Her Majesty Queen Máxima set for March 18 to March 20, 2025.

This comes after the Royal House of the Netherlands last week stated that the three-day visit is at the invitation of President William Ruto invitation and represents a watershed moment in the two countries' relationship.

A section of Kenyans online has since opposed the trip, opting to reach out to the Dutch government for its cancellation, due to the country’s prevailing state of affairs.

These Kenyans have cited, among other things, human rights violations such as abductions and enforced disappearances of perceived government critics as well as opposition figures of neighbouring countries.

According to Dutch public broadcasting organisation Nederlandse Omroep Stichting (NOS), the country’s Foreign Affairs ministry confirm the myriad e-mails, but insisted that the visit was still on as it will present an opportunity to discuss the alleged violations by the President William Ruto government.

“Foreign Affairs confirms when asked, also on behalf of the RVD, that they have received at least three hundred e-mails about the royal visit to Kenya but do not yet have the full picture and are still investigating this,” NOS stated.

“In a written response, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, also on behalf of the Government Information Service, stated that it is aware of the human rights violations in Kenya, ‘against which the Netherlands speaks out both publicly and in contacts with Kenyan authorities’ and that it sees the visit as an opportunity to ‘discuss difficult topics such as human rights violations.’”

This will be the Dutch monarchs' first state visit to Kenya, reflecting the two countries' strong and long-standing relationship.

According to the statement from the Dutch royal palace, the priority is to foster new partnerships and deepen existing collaboration in areas such as sustainable agriculture, water management, and climate action.

We can assure King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima of The Netherlands 🇳🇱 that it will not be a gezellig visit to Kenya 🇰🇪. Rather wait for William Ruto to return to The Hague. And visit him there. Dank u wel. @IntlCrimCourt.@nrfbloxburg https://t.co/c3Ed6CzMj5 pic.twitter.com/AigGFPUxY4

PRESSURE: The Dutch Mission in Nairobi is facing significant backlash after the Netherlands Royalty confirmed a state visit to Kenya in March.

Kenyans on X are urging the mission to inform their capital that the “King and Queen have been issued with a travel advisory.” https://t.co/rbiWxpQBCf

You will be caught in the crossfire should you choose this path and you will certainly stain your reputation

Ruto continues to kill and abduct people to silence “critics” because the public lost confidence in him and his cohort of thieves and murderors https://t.co/UBO5hNkRLB

Imagine just wait for the suspect at the Hague. Our intentions are to have him and his lot of goons there earlier than your scheduled visit. https://t.co/0cMG8iy8Pe— Wanjiku ❤❤ (@judie_maina) January 13, 2025