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Kenyan president cancels trip to US over airstrikes in Yemen

Xinhua, April 24, 2015 Adjust font size:

Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta cancelled his visit to the U.S. and returned home on Thursday night due to increased military activity in Yemen.

A statement from State House spokesman Manoah Esipisu said the plane carrying Kenyatta landed in Nairobi at 11:42 p.m. local time following routing challenges.

"Following reports of increased military activity in Yemen, there was a challenge on the routing leading to a decision to turn back. The president touched the ground at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport at 11:42 p.m.," Esipisu said.

Kenyatta left Nairobi on Thursday evening on board his official Kenya Airforce aircraft destined for Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, where he was due to connect to a commercial flight to Los Angeles.

However, Esipisu did not say whether the Kenyan leader will travel to the U.S. where he was scheduled to hold talks with investors as well as address a number of meetings.

Kenyatta was due to meet a host of leading American investors to discuss investment opportunities in Kenya.

He was to address the investment climate in Kenya and expound on what the government is doing to enhance local economy, attract foreign business and capital in key growth-driven areas," Esipisu said in the statement released in Nairobi. Endi