Raila Odinga on warpath with the West for ‘siding with Ruto’
Opposition leader Raila Odinga addressing his supporters in Pipeline Estate, Nairobi, on March 30, 2023.
Opposition leader Raila Odinga is on a warpath with the United States and other Western countries for allegedly siding with President William Ruto to achieve narrow business interests at the expense of a push for electoral justice and an end to violation of human rights.
Mr Odinga and his allies are accusing the US of turning a blind eye to electoral questions surrounding the August 9, 2022 polls and ongoing police brutality against opposition demonstrators.
Officials of Mr Odinga’s Azimio La Umoja One Kenya Coalition Party said the silence of US and other Western countries over the excessive use of force by police in dealing with the ongoing protests points to a dalliance with the current administration.
Mr Odinga has since indicated plans to sue—both locally and internationally—over what he called an attempt on his life during the Thursday mass action.
He described the attack on journalists and protesters as a primitive act of intolerance. “We could hear gunshots and we thought they were shooting in the air, but we heard the car being hit several times. That’s when I decided to take cover and lie on the seat. There is no mistaking that the intention was basically to kill. So, if this vehicle was not armoured, the story would be different,” said Mr Odinga in an interview with The Associated Press on Friday.
Mr Odinga yesterday declared that he will stage the mother of all demonstrations and proceeded to ask Dr Ruto to vacate office because he did not win the election.
Yesterday, the opposition singled out last week’s America Chamber of Commerce Regional Summit held in Nairobi, lifting of ban on genetically modified organisms (GMOs) that would largely benefit multinationals, and the commitment by Dr Ruto to implement tough conditions by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) as some of the signs that the US is in bed with Dr Ruto’s administration thereby not ready to challenge its excesses.
Yesterday, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, speaking in Kakamega, seemed to celebrate what he said is the isolation of Mr Odinga by the West.
“The international community has not abandoned you. It is just they have known you. Before, they thought you were a democrat. But now you have been exposed. They saw what happened at Bomas, and after they were convinced we won fair and square, they have told you off. Now you are crying. The US is the world’s largest democracy. How do you then ask them to help you undermine our own democracy?” asked Mr Gachagua in Kakamega.
“As Raila was running around in town in demonstrations, President Ruto was meeting 200 investors where a Sh80 billion deal was signed. We want to ask the international community to ignore that old man.”
President William Ruto, US Ambassador to Kenya Meg Whitman and Brenda Mbathi American Chamber of Commerce (AMCHAM) board President during the organisation's regional business summit in Nairobi.
Dr Ruto on Thursday attended the Summit that offered a platform for the US Ambassador to Kenya Meg Whitman to scout for opportunities for American businesses.
The misgivings by the opposition escalated yesterday after the US ambassador painted a glossy image of Kenya while describing President Ruto as ‘smart and easy to work with’.
She also described the current Cabinet as strong and committed to undertaking policy reforms to continue improving the business environment.
Some of the individuals serving in the current Cabinet were appointed while having active criminal cases in court, including murder. Most of the cases have since been dropped in a controversial manner.
“I have been super impressed with Kenya. It held the freest, fairest and most transparent elections in the country’s history this past August. The new President, William Ruto, is very strong. He is smart, strategic and gets things done. He is hands-on and easy to work with. He understands that economic growth and development is the way to go forward and has set a vision for accelerating Kenya’s drive to achieve upper middle-income country status by 2030,” said Ms Whitman.
Azimio spokesman Makau Mutua told Sunday Nation that the US that was in the past known for fighting for democracy and electoral reforms has joined Dr Ruto’s praise team.
Prof Mutua revisited the role played by the US during the struggle for pluralism in Kenya and how the support by the West always came with conditions for the benefiting countries to ensure democratic reforms and credible elections.
In a thinly veiled attack on Ms Whitman, Prof Mutua cited the role of the late Smith Hempstone, who served as US ambassador to Kenya from 1989 to 1993 and became one of the late President Moi’s fiercest critics. Hempstone was credited for joining forces in the fight for pluralism in the country.
“They should be supporting us in asking for the opening of the server so that the country can know who won the election. We observed their open bias towards UDA in the run up to the August 9 polls. That bias was more after the results were declared,” said Prof Mutua.
He went on: “There is no doubt that the US has been a long term friend of Kenya. Today we face a dark moment in the country. The Ruto regime is leading the country into fascism. The savage attack on the media. You have seen the kind of Cabinet that Ruto has appointed. The tribalisation of the nation in his appointments. We know the international community based in Nairobi is aware of these sinister and undemocratic actions by Ruto. Their silence concerns us.”
Prof Mutua, however, described Delaware Senator Chris Coons—credited for playing a role in crafting the 2018 Handshake between Mr Odinga and then President Uhuru Kenyatta—as ‘mature and insightful’ and asked the embassy to emulate him.
Mr Coons led US officials in meeting Mr Odinga and Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua in trying to end the current political standoff.
Mr Odinga on Friday, while in Siaya, accused Ambassador Whitman of turning a blind eye on what he said is unresolved electoral injustice in Kenya.
Mr Odinga blamed the US diplomat for openly taking sides and sacrificing the push for electoral justice at the altar of development and American interests.
“There is no European democracy, American democracy and African democracy. It must be measured by the same standards universally. You cannot put development ahead of democracy,” said Mr Odinga.
He went on: “The US ambassador to Kenya has said that we did the most transparent and democratic elections in the history of Kenya. I told her that she did not know which country she was talking about.”
Other Western embassies this week also backed the conclusion of the August polls.
The joint statement by envoys from Australia, Canada, Denmark, The Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, the UK and the US asked both leaders and citizens to ‘show restraint and work towards a swift resolution for the common good of Kenya’.
“We agree with the Africa Union Commission (AUC) Chairperson in recalling the successful conduct of the general elections in 2022, and the unanimous confirmation of their results by the Supreme Court,” the ambassadors and High Commissioners stated.
They went on: “As friends and partners to Kenya, we are deeply concerned by the recent unrest and violence as well as the destruction of places of worship and private property. It is also damaging economic activity at a time of significant financial challenges.”
Mr Odinga also pointed out that other representatives from the West have joined in lecturing Kenyans while continuing to ignore the violation of fundamental human rights by the government.
Ms Whitman had on Friday tweeted in solidarity with journalists in the ongoing demos, saying: “The United States is deeply concerned by recent reports of attacks against journalists. Protecting press freedom and safety is a cornerstone of democracy.”
Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi said some of the international partners were more interested in business at the expense of electoral reforms and democracy.
“Kenya problems require homegrown solutions just like in the US. International community is a key partner but they must not support human rights violations by Kenya Kwanza. Our development partners should not be guided by business interests and overlook human rights,” said Mr Osotsi.
Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna said the envoy has failed to appreciate the intricacies of Kenyan politics by choosing to prioritise business over democracy.
“Her comments so far on the situation in the country have been wildly misguided and it’s best she keeps off matters she doesn’t understand,” said Mr Sifuna.
In a past interview, East African Legislative Assembly MP Winnie Odinga claimed that the US had turned African countries into a play station that they use to achieve their business interests.
“Kenya is their favourite. It is their PlayStation. Have you ever worn virtual reality glasses? That is what Kenya is to them. You put it on and you play,” Ms Odinga said.
“Western countries have for years interfered with Africa. They interfere with our resources and governance. The US is divided. Instead of focusing on themselves, they are interfering with the African continent and they pick different things or leaders to put their money into, and the result is to leave our people in extreme poverty,” she added.
But National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung'wa has dismissed the assertions by the opposition.
Mr Ichung’wa said the election was conducted in a credible manner.
“The election was concluded, and even the international community they said was silent has affirmed that fact. The only server keys we have is to the re-opening of our economy,” said Mr Ichung’wa.
The government through Foreign Affairs ministry has also asked international and diplomatic missions to censure Mr Odinga over claims of orchestrating violence during opposition protests and planning to overthrow a legitimate administration.
“In line with the importance of holding those responsible for any crimes that may be committed under the guise of protests and ensuring no impunity is encouraged, the government urges the international community to be vigilant in supporting the sanctioning of any conduct adverse to the peace and security of the country,” the ministry said.
The West, particularly the US, was in the past perceived to side with Mr Odinga in his agitation for electoral reforms.
In the run up to the 2013 polls, then Assistant Secretary of State Johnnie Carson warned Kenyans voters that “choices have consequences” in reference to the candidature of former President Uhuru Kenyatta who was facing charges at the International Criminal Court.
Since he assumed office, Dr Ruto’s administration has shown an early preference for close diplomatic relations with Western nations. US, through high-ranking officials, have had multiple economic engagements with Kenya.
Dr Ruto would announce the approval of GMOs shortly after taking over, showing a dalliance with powerful Western multinationals that are known to actively push for their business interests in diplomatic circles.
Expand relations
The new government has also shown keenness to expand relations with the International Monetary Fund, a financial agency of the United Nations that has imposed tough economic conditions on Kenya.
In an earlier interview with the Sunday Nation in September, Ms Whitman – a billionaire who made a name by leading top technology companies in the US like eBay and HP – expressed her conviction with the potential of Kenya and why she accepted to be the American envoy to the country.
She said her country’s president Joe Biden convinced her to head to Kenya because of the big potential Africa is offering.
She is quickly earning the reputation of America’s most outspoken envoy as far as marketing Kenya and Africa as investment destinations is concerned.
“When I was a CEO – I’ll be honest – I probably thought of Africa about one per cent of the time. Many of the businesses I managed were heavily involved elsewhere. But if I were back in the boardroom, Africa would be on my radar for two simple reasons: supply chain diversification and net-zero emissions,” she said.
