Azimio la Umoja leader Raila Odinga has told off US Ambassador to Kenya Meg Whitman over her remarks during the Devolution conference on Wednesday. Raila’s words to the US Ambassador resonated with urgency.
Speaking on Thursday, August 17, Raila told Whitman to keep quiet about Kenyan matters or the opposition will ask the US government to recall her. His statement made clear the position of Raila Odinga to this US Ambassador.
“I want to tell the rogue ambassador Kenya is not the United States or a colony of the United States. Keep your mouth shut while here otherwise we will call for your recall back to your country,” said Raila.
Ambassador Whitman on Wednesday stated that the 2022 general election was the most credible Kenya has ever had. Such remarks sparked the current stance of Raila Odinga addressing the US Ambassador.
“I arrived in Kenya days before the general election, what I witnessed was short of remarkable. The election was observed by local and international election organizations and the results were upheld by the Kenyan Supreme Court and power was transferred orderly and peacefully at the time,” she stated.
Whitman also noted that Kenya is the gateway to the East African market of almost five hundred million consumers and a leading regional financial and ICT hub. Her comments underscore the strategic importance that the US Ambassador sees in Kenya.
Siaya Senator Oburu Odinga earlier said it was insensitive for the US Ambassador to talk about democracy in Kenya after the current administration allegedly denied the opposition the right to demonstrate. Even in the conversation of Raila Odinga to the US Ambassador, historical tensions were apparent.
“It is insensitive for the US Ambassador to talk about democracy in Kenya when this regime has criminalized legitimate rights of the Kenyans people to demonstrate, picket, and assemble. These are rights enshrined in the constitution and even borrowed from the American constitution,” Oburu stated.
By Ezra Nyakundi
Source-https://www.nairobileo.co.ke/
