You can keep the "CHANGE." We don’t need another lecture... Kenya tells Obama admin.

From the Daily Nation

Kenya's Prime Minister Raila Odinga Tuesday opened a new war front with developed countries asking them to stop “lecturing” African nations on governance issues. He, instead, urged the West to focus on how to further open up more trade avenues in the continent to enable African countries to prosper economically....continues below

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NEW: Hillary Clinton's Speech FULL TRANSCRIPT at The 8th Forum of AGOA Kenya 2009
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While addressing delegates attending the ongoing Africa Growth and Opportunity Act forum in Nairobi, Mr Odinga said the continent had made great strides by “toppling dictators” who had given Africa a bad name....continues below
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4. Hillary Clinton delivers speech to AGOA forum in Kenya
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“Lecturing us on issues that deal with governance and transparency is in bad taste,” said the PM. Added Mr Odinga: “The continent is still recovering from an era of dictatorship and tyrannical leadership that many African countries struggled hard to dislodge. “We therefore don’t need lectures on how to govern ourselves... we only require lectures on how to trade not only with ourselves but with the rest of the world to enable us prosper.”

The PM's sentiments appeared to be in response to comments by US Ambassador Michael Ranneberger, who had earlier on insisted that the government must implement, in full, all the reform agenda it promised Kenyans.

Top of what the US government wants addressed include constitutional review, electoral review, land reforms and reconciliation. He spoke ahead of the arrival of US Secretary of State Mrs Hillary Clinton, who is expected to grace the official opening of the forum on Wednesday. President Kibaki is also scheduled to attend.

Similar sentiments have also been raised by various countries that make up the European Union. The US Ambassador said full implementation was indeed very critical to the prosperity of Kenyans. “Failure to do this will interfere with the realisation of the country’s economic agenda,” said Mr Ranneberger while addressing the delegates.

The US Government has for long been piling pressure on Kenya to implement the reforms it promised under Agenda Four of the National Accord that was negotiated under the guidance of former UN secretary-general Kofi Annan.

It has previously warned of unspecified action against Kenyan leaders should it fail to implement the reform agenda and end the intermittent wrangles that have threatened to derail the grand coalition.

The two principals – President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga – have often been criticised for failing to guide the country out of danger ahead of the 2012 elections. However, the two have in the recent past moved to assure the country that the coalition would last to the end and would deliver on the reforms envisaged in the National Accord.

CHANGE! OR we will act – Obama administration tells Kenya

From the Standard

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton landed in style as Washington and London warned Kenya’s Cabinet they would hold accountable those who frustrate reform agenda and punishment of post-election violence suspects....continues below

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NEW: Hillary Clinton's Speech FULL TRANSCRIPT at The 8th Forum of AGOA Kenya 2009
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US ambassador Michael Ranneberger set the stage for Mrs Clinton’s arrival, shadowed by the many calls by President Barack Obama to Kenya to hurry up reform agenda and end to impunity, by releasing a statement coached in hard language and with limited options for Kenya....continues below

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Related posts:
1. You can keep the "CHANGE." We don’t need another lecture... Kenya tells Obama admin.
2. Hillary Clinton receives ‘cold’ welcome in Kenya’s AGOA Summit

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The British High Commissioner Rob Macaire in addition revealed the combined number of ministers, top civil servants, and entrepreneurs banned from stepping on British soil because of their conduct and dealings now stands at 20.

Also training his gun on Kenya was Obama’s Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Johnie Carson who said Mrs Clinton would speak on Kenya’s governance problems, corruption, human rights and impunity.

Carson said: "Under the watchful eye of Kenya’s long serving Attorney General (Amos Wako) — a man who has served loyally under President Kibaki and President Moi — not one government official or serving politician has been successfully prosecuted for corruption in two decades."

Traditionally, the rest of the 27 European Union states reciprocates visa bans on foreigners by one of their members, which raises the prospect some Kenyan ministers, despite their official assignment, would never be allowed to step in EU states, and in all probability, the US, too.

US and UK’s anger stemmed from last week decision by the Cabinet to kill local tribunal option as a means of punishing post-election offenders, leaving but a small window for The Hague option, and going for Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission’s way.

"The US will stand firmly behind Kenyans as they insist on full implementation of the reform agenda. We will take necessary steps to hold accountable those who do not support reform agenda or who support violence,’’ said Ranneberger.

He added: "Merely expanding the role of the Truth Justice and Reconciliation Commission and establishing a mechanism in the Judiciary is not a credible approach in eyes of Kenyans and international community."

"Ensuring an independent local special tribunal, with independent investigating powers, would clearly demonstrate seriousness that has not been evident," the envoy went on.

International pressure swelled against Kenya as Prime Minister Raila Odinga, in response, said Kenya could do with ‘less’ lectures on governance. President Kibaki has called for a special Cabinet meeting on Friday, to review the backlash from last week’s decision, and perhaps make a fresh bid to establish a special tribunal.

Macaire demanded an explanation on why the Government abandoned the quest for a special tribunal. He spoke when he met Kenya’s Immigration Minister Otieno Kajwang’ to discuss UK’s request for co-operation in regard to movement of persons between the two countries.

The Ranneberger statement ran: "The US is deeply concerned by the Coalition Government’s decision that appears to indicate it will not establish a special tribunal to hold accountable perpetrators of violence…Failure by Kenya to take ownership of the process of accountability at all levels will call into serious question whether the political will exists to carry out fundamental reforms."

Carson stepped in with a statement of America’s official position: "It is better to have a local tribunal to try people who committed crimes in the community."

Carson made it clear Mrs Clinton will root for strong institutions, particularly police, electoral, judicial reforms, and a new constitution as recommended under the National Accord. His speech entitled, Kenya on the Brink: Democratic Renewal or Deepening Crisis, was delivered a week before Mrs Clinton’s visit.

But yesterday Raila, while addressing Agoa conference, which will be opened by President Kibaki today, said: "Africa does not need too much lecturing on governance issues."
Carson’s statement on the Clinton visit comes against the backdrop of President Kibaki’s summon of a special Cabinet meeting on Friday to discuss the implications of its resolution last Thursday to abandon creation of a special tribunal to try post-election violence suspects.

"Although this is largely a trade and commercial event, she will use the occasion to reinforce the message that we view Kenya as an important and longstanding regional partner. We value Kenya’s friendship and that we stand ready to help Kenya strengthen its democratic institutions, fight corruption, counter the rise in extrajudicial killings and to deal with some of its mounting socio-economic problems," Carson said in his speech, posted in the National Endowment for Democracy website.

Macaire said: "UK is seeking an explanation from the Government on its move to block a special tribunal and opt for the local courts to try post-election violence suspects."

He added: "We want to know what the Government decision means in practice," and announced those who incited or perpetrated violence after the disputed presidential election risked visa bans from the EU.

"Having identified the leading suspects, (former UN Secretary General) Kofi Annan gave the Kenyan Government two clear options: The Government could establish an independent court to try the suspects or he would turn the names over to the ICC for investigations and prosecutions. Annan has now turned over the names of post-election violence perpetrators to the ICC."

"We believe that police reform, from the top down, is crucial to restoring public confidence," he said.
The former US ambassador in Kenya did not spare the Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission: "Kenya’s six-year-old Anti-Corruption Commission has demonstrated a record similar (to Wako’s) success rate."

"Kenya’s court system has also shown a willingness to play along with the AG’s style of politics. On the rare occasions when corruption cases are presented to the courts, they are thrown out on procedural grounds or are allowed to die in a sea of judicial bureaucracy. In Kenya, there is a saying that sums up the public attitude towards the nation’s courts: "Why hire a lawyer when you can buy a judge?" said Carson.


The new move to back the TJRC has been greeted with resentment. Key development partners and politicians have said the Cabinet erred. "The current situation in Kenya highlights the country’s ongoing challenges to deepen its democracy and to make it meaningful," Carson said.

Hillary Clinton arrives for Kenya’s AGOA Summit...But is she really needed?

From the New York Times


NAIROBI, Kenya — Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton arrived in Kenya on Tuesday night at the beginning of an 11-day Africa tour and at a time when the American government is getting increasingly fed up with Kenya’s leaders....continues below

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NEW: Hillary Clinton's Speech FULL TRANSCRIPT at The 8th Forum of AGOA Kenya 2009
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Mrs. Clinton was whisked from the airport to her hotel in downtown Nairobi, which was under intense security by soldiers wearing bulletproof vests and enormous men wearing earpieces...continues below

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Related Posts:
1. You can keep the "CHANGE." We don’t need another lecture... Kenya tells Obama admin.
2. CHANGE or we will act – Obama administration tells Kenya
3. Hillary Clinton receives ‘cold’ welcome in Kenya’s AGOA Summit
4. Hillary Clinton delivers speech to AGOA forum in Kenya
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Her trip takes her through seven African nations, from Kenya to Cape Verde, and focuses on good government, trade and the bolstering of food security, all priorities that President Obama forcefully laid out during his quick visit to Ghana last month. She will meet with important commercial allies, including Angola and Nigeria, which export billions of dollars worth of oil to the United States. She will also wade into conflict zones like Congo, which continues to suffer and smolder from a decade-long civil war.

But the first stop will not be easy. Mrs. Clinton is ostensibly in Kenya to address the eighth annual forum on the African Growth and Opportunity Act, a piece of trade legislation that her husband, Bill Clinton, passed when he was president.

But she will inevitably be drawn into Kenya’s latest political crisis: what to do about the perpetrators of last year’s election-driven bloodshed. And more trouble may be brewing. Kenya faces a punishing drought, a food crisis, power cuts and ethnic militias mobilizing in the countryside, getting ready for a possible Round 2.

Last week, Kenya’s leaders decided to scuttle efforts to set up a special tribunal for the organizers and financiers of the election violence, which killed more than 1,000 people, putting forward a vague pledge to try perpetrators within existing institutions instead.

Some of the top suspects are high-ranking ministers, who are reluctant to set in motion any process that might put them behind bars. Many Kenyans are now calling their government of national unity the “government of national impunity.” Western nations, especially the United States, are losing patience, but at the same time, Kenya’s leaders seem to be getting annoyed by all the outside advice.
“The United States is deeply concerned by the coalition government’s decision that appears to indicate it will not pursue establishment of an independent special tribunal to hold accountable perpetrators of postelection violence,” the American Embassy said Tuesday. “Failure by Kenya to take ownership of the process of accountability at all levels will call into serious question whether the political will exists to carry out fundamental reforms.”

Last year, it was Mrs. Clinton’s predecessor, Condoleezza Rice, who applied the 11th-hour pressure on Kenya’s warring politicians and got them to sign a power-sharing agreement.

But on Tuesday, Kenya’s prime minister, Raila Odinga, blasted back and said at the trade conference, “We don’t need another lecture.”

He also blamed Western countries for creating Africa’s problems in the first place, saying many of the modern-day ills stemmed directly from colonialism.