Kenya was one of 143 countries that voted on Wednesday in the United Nations to condemn the annexation by Russia of four regions in Ukraine.
Four countries — Syria, Belarus, Nicaragua and North Korea — voted against the resolution while 35 countries, including Uganda, abstained.
Kenya can feel proud of adopting this strong stance over the Russian invasion, which it also condemned with other countries in the UN in March.
The African Union has always insisted African borders must be respected, however controversial their origins. Russia argues its annexation of Ukrainian regions is justified because they are predominantly Russian-speaking.
But if that precedent is accepted, then Rwanda could invade Uganda to annex Kisoro or Somalia could invade Kenya to annex Wajir and Garissa.
Ukraine was conquered by Russia around 1600 but Lenin allowed it to become independent in 1922. Ireland was conquered by England around 1650 and gained independence at the same time as Ukraine. Would England now be justified in invading Ireland to recover its lost territory? Obviously not.
Kenya has done the right thing in supporting the UN motion condemning the Russian annexation of territory in the Ukraine.
Quote of the day: "You cannot carry out fundamental change without a certain amount of madness."
Thomas Sankara
The President of Burkina Faso was assassinated on October 15, 1987
