Odhiambo Orlale
2 October 2008
Nairobi — Kenya has accused Western envoys of an "audacious and blatant breach of protocol" over their threat to ban ECK chief Samuel Kivuitu and his team from their countries unless they all resign.
The diplomats' stand was "reminiscent of colonial mindset," said Foreign minister Moses Wetang'ula.
He sent a formal protest note to the US and European Union representatives, following their demand that the electoral commissioners should step down, in line with the recommendation of the Kriegler report on the last General Election.
Sovereignty
After sending the note, Mr Wetang'ula explained: "I am not defending Kivuitu and his team, I am simply protecting our sovereignty."
He said: "I am outraged, as most Kenyans are, by the audacious and blatant breach of protocol by some ambassadors, who reportedly visited the chairman of ECK and demanded his immediate resignation, short of which he would face travel ban to their respective countries."
And he went on: "As the minister in charge of foreign relations, I wish to state categorically that the Government will not tolerate what seems to be a pattern of activism being practised in Nairobi by a few ambassadors under the guise of conducting their normal official diplomatic engagements."
Mr Wetang'ula urged the diplomats, whom he accused of "grossly condescending behaviour" to respect the country.
The minister spoke to the Nation from Accra, Ghana, where he is attending a meeting of African, Caribbean and Pacific countries.
An official at the US embassy said they had not received the protest note, and would therefore not wish to comment prematurely.
A source at the US embassy declined to confirm or deny reports that Mr Kivuitu and his team of 21 commissioners had been banned.
But the official added: "All I can say is the US has made it very clear that it would like to see a transparent and accountable electoral system in place."
Some observers saw the row as an official defence of the ECK, which would raise doubts as to whether the Government will be keen to see it disbanded, and the view of one side of the coalition government of President Kibaki's Party of National Unity and Prime Minister Raila Odinga's Orange Democratic Movement.
Must be sent home
Already Mr Odinga has stated that the commissioners must be sent home while Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka has cautiously maintained that they should stay.
Mr Wetang'ula's protest notes to the EU's representative, Ms Elisabeth Barbier, and the US Ambassador, Mr Michael Ranneberger were sent as another meeting with Mr Kivuitu with the EU was put off.
Ms Barbier, who is also the French ambassador, and her US counterpart, have said in public that they supported the view of the Independent Review Commission headed by retired judge Johann Kriegler that the ECK should be overhauled.
The EU representative was expected to hold a meeting with Mr Kivuitu yesterday, but it failed to take off because Mr Kivuitu sent word that he was unwell.
Mr Kivuitu, who spend yesterday in bed after complaining of feeling unwell, was asked by the Nation about claims that the US embassy had cancelled his visa, commented diplomatically, "I have not received any information in writing or otherwise from the US embassy; all I know is what I read in the press.
The protest comes in the wake of media reports claiming that all the 22 ECK commissioners, including their boss, were banned from visiting the US.
Mr Wetang'ula reminded the diplomats that the Kriegler report, including its findings and conclusions on the integrity of the electoral process in the country, was with the knowledge of the public and the diplomats, and that the Government had announced its programme of implementation noting its importance.
But the minister took issue with the diplomats for physically walking into Mr Kivuitu's office and directly confronting him with the aim of forcing his resignation.
Said the minister: "Such shameless blackmail, applied through open disregard of established norms of conduct of diplomats, in favour of a style and tone reminiscent of colonial mindset, is an insult to the Kenyan public."
Mr Wetang'ula was referring to the Western diplomats who played a role in the negotiations during the height of the violence, which left 1,200 people dead and 350,000 others displaced.
The EU and the US also backed the former UN secretary-general, Mr Kofi Annan's mediation efforts -- financially and as lobbyists -- to bring about peace.
Their efforts led to the signing of a peace accord between President Kibaki and Mr Odinga.
The same diplomats were also at the forefront of supporting the emergency appeal for funds to feed and resettle the internally displaced persons during the first half of the year.
Mr Wetang'ula's protest could send wrong signals to the Western countries, which played a leading role towards restoring peace.
Internal matters
He said Kenyans could deal with Kenya's internal matters in accordance with national peace and reconciliation efforts and the law of the land.
However, he admitted that it was within each States' sovereign right and competence to withhold or decline visas to foreigners, including Kenyans, wishing to visit their countries.
However, he said that to apply such a form of sanction as a punitive measure to illegally force a constitutional office holder out of public office, "smacks of patronising arrogance, and raises questions about the true intentions and meaning of such helpful actions."
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You are absolutely right!!!!!!
Kenyans who had believed that the attacks on Mugabe was just a separate action, are now discovering that the US and EU’s policies on the entire southern African region, not to say the African continent are discovering that such policies are addressed within a well though global geostrategic frameworks. None of the countries of the region can never consider itself as immune, even South Africa.
AGREED.
What amazes is that generations after Nkrumah and Lumumba wrote about neo-colonialism, would-be 'leaders' like Raila Odinga have yet to stumble upon that truth.
For it is said: “Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” [George Santayana]
The sad thing is, the leaders repeat the mistakes at the expense of the beleaguered African Child - whose survival beyond the first half of this century becomes increasingly tenuous .. ..
And their pompous, self-seeking 'leaders' have yet to see 'the writing on the wall' ...
Psst! Common Raila! Why all the makelele na mayowe? Why the mlio? Kenya is a sovereign country, right? Right. Kenya shed the wanyonyaji, right? Right. OK. Play like the big boys. And the big boys don't sit around mourning: They retaliate in kind. Get it?
One of the problem with 2007 kenya's elections was the meddling of European union and US. They are putting preasure on Eck to resign to cover their backs. It is the tactic used by street muggers where by they rob then point at somebody infront of them while shouting theif thief. By the time you look at the "thieves" the real robbers get lost. We know their interests in kenya. when will we get a leader who can say NO to these people?
It is time Kenyans realized that the western world is very manipulative and has to be checked and spied on every single day. The British world love to control Kenya by remote control.
It is nice that Kenyans are speaking up for their own country and people, not representing a foreign and illegal regime like the UK.