King's Birthday Party 2025: Chargé d’Affaires Ed Barnett's speech
Source: gov.uk (2025-11-14)

British High Commission Nairobi Chargé d’Affaires, Ed Barnett's speech on the King's Birthday Party delivered on 13 November.

Wageni waheshimiwa jioni ya leo, hamjambo.

Your Excellency the Prime Cabinet Secretary Hon. Musalia Mudavadi, Cabinet Secretaries, Principal Secretaries, Governors, MPs and members of the Diplomatic corps, all protocols observed, ladies and gentlemen, good evening.

Before I start, and because he was never one to miss this event, may I request that we observe a minute of silence in honour of former Prime Minister the Rt. Hon Raila Odinga.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Thank you on behalf of the British High Commission, the British Council and the UK government to everyone joining us this evening to celebrate the birthday of His Majesty King Charles III.

Ni heshima kubwa kusimama mbele yenu jioni ya leo, na kuzungumza juu ya urafiki wa kudumu kati ya mataifa yetu mawili.

It’s a great privilege to stand before you today and to speak about the enduring friendship between our two countries.

This year’s King’s Birthday is celebrating the best of what both Kenya and the UK contribute to arts, culture and education, exploring themes of innovation, sustainability, identity and the links between technology and heritage. It is part of a UK-Kenya season that has been led by our fantastic colleagues at the British Council.

Highlights from the season have included the Venice Architecture Biennale, where a joint prize-winning UK-Kenya exhibition explored the role of architecture as a tool of repair and renewal.

Kenya’s home-grown music festival, Blankets and Wine, made its UK debut as part of Bradford’s City of Culture, with great collaborations between musicians in Kenya and the UK.

Costa Ojwang will perform for us tonight and can perhaps share some the highlights of his trip to Bradford.

The Season has also opened opportunities for young people to connect and learn from each other. Almost 40 creatives from Kenya and the UK developed new work across theatre, music, visual arts, design and performance.

Tonight, my wife and I are both wearing pieces from Reinas Gowns and Metis, who are part of the British Council’s Creative DNA programme.

As part of the Season, Creative DNA designers showcased at African Fashion Week London 2025, introducing fantastic Kenyan designs to new audiences.

As the Season comes to a close, the British Council has curated a four-week programme that kicks off this Saturday featuring exhibitions, performances, and workshops. You can scan the QR code on the screens or follow East Africa arts on social media platforms for the full programme.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

This year marked a new chapter in our relationship.

In July, President Ruto and Prime Minister Starmer signed a new 5-year Kenya-UK Strategic Partnership, setting out our shared ambition to double trade, increase investment and green growth, build climate resilience, partner in regional security through defence, and collaborate across science, tech and innovation.

Looking around today, I know our future is bright and our partnership will only get stronger.

Having had the pleasure of speaking to some of our partners about their work, I am reminded that the returns on investing in our young people are exponential, measured not just in jobs, but in new perspectives and shared understanding. By placing the voices of young people at the centre, and allowing them to shape their own future, we unlock the very potential required to address global challenges and build a more sustainable future.

We will go far, together. Tufaulu Pamoja

In closing, I would like to say a huge thank you to the British Council, my brilliant colleagues at the British High Commission, all our partners, and everyone involved in making this evening a success.

Your hard work and dedication have made this celebration possible.

Allow me also to thank our platinum sponsors:

Aalto, the pioneering aerospace company whose Zephr stratocraft operates out of Laikipia and is helping address global challenges through weather monitoring, oceanography and earth imaging.

Braeburn Schools, who for over 30 years have pioneered a holistic approach to learning with equal emphasis and weighting placed on academics, music, sports and the arts.

And finally to Haleon, whose consumer health products, from Sensodyne to Panadol and Centrum multivitamins are improving health outcomes here in Kenya.

Thank you too to silver sponsors; Abacus, Seaforth Shipping, Elgon Kenya and EABL.

Finally, please join me as we celebrate the King’s Birthday (which is, in fact, tomorrow) and the enduring friendship between Kenya and the UK. The King!