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Kenya: Government Says Outside Threats Won't End Crisis
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The Nation (Nairobi)
17 February 2008
Posted to the web 18 February 2008
Lucas Barasa and Reuters
Nairobi
The Government has said outside threats to force a deal to end the political crisis will not work. Foreign Affairs minister Moses Wetangula has said that any solution lies with Kenyans.
"We encourage our friends to support us and not to make any mistake of putting a gun to anybody's head and saying 'either' 'or' because that cannot work," he told reporters.
"Even if we get visitors to help us in any way possible, the answer to the problem in Kenya lies with Kenyans themselves," he said.
The government position has come a day before US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice arrives in Nairobi Monday to support the Kofi Annan-led mediation efforts.
Rice is being sent US President George W Bush who said on Sunday he did not want to dictate how to bring an end to Kenya's political violence, but to help push along Annan's mediation.
Mr Wetangula welcomed Dr Rice's visit saying she will arrive at mid-morning for a one day visit that will see her hold talks with President Kibaki, ODM leader Raila Odinga and Kofi Annan.
"As a government we welcome the visit. We have no doubt her visit will serve to deepen cordial relationship between Kenya and US. Her coming will serve as an encouragement to the ongoing negotiations," Mr Wetangula said at his Nairobi office.
Mr Wetangula who termed Mr Bush's calls for power-sharing as an opinion said the government was committed to finding immediate and long-term solution to the crisis facing the country but will not succumb to outside directives.
President Kibaki's disputed re-election has triggered a wave of violence that has killed 1,000 people and displaced 300,000 others.
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Bush, who started a five-nation tour of Africa on Saturday, has thrown his weight behind a power-sharing deal to end the political standoff in Kenya.
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