The 8th Devolution Conference is currently taking place in Eldoret, and remarks made by US Ambassador to Kenya Meg Whitman have alarmed Azimio One Kenya Alliance. Senators and the leader of the opposition, Raila Odinga, have urged her to stay out of domestic affairs.
Odinga, who was greeted at the conference location by Council of Governors (CoG) Chairperson Ms. Anne Waiguru and a number of governors, including Uasin Gishu Governor Jonathan Bii, started his remarks with the Swahili phrase: ‘nyani haoni kundule,’ translated to ‘the monkey does not see his ass,’ pointing at insincerity on Ruto’s government.
A day after Whitman pledged her support for President William Ruto’s administration, recognizing his victory in last year’s presidential elections as legitimate and promising the current administration complete support and closer ties with the US government, Odinga reprimanded the ambassador on Thursday. Senators from the Azimio political party described the envoy’s remarks as insensitive to Kenyans in light of the current situation in the nation.
“I want to tell the rogue ambassador, leave Kenyans alone,” Odinga said in his parting shot while delivering a keynote address at the Devolution conference on Thursday afternoon.
“If ‘maandamano’ (demos) can lead to dialogue between Ichungwah and Kalonzo, then everything is good in ‘maandamano’ (demos),” he stated, cheering from a section of the delegates.
“Tell the rogue ambassador, Kenya is neither the US nor is it a colony of the United States. Keep your mouth shut while you are here. Otherwise, we will call for your recall back to your country,” he added.
The response from the opposition leader came shortly after his contingent of senators from the Azimio brigade criticized the US envoy’s statements during a press conference at the Devolution conference. In her comments at the conference, the US envoy openly endorsed President William Ruto’s election, a move that drew strong rebuke from the Azimio senators.
The outcome of the 2022 General Election was fiercely disputed by the Azimio la Umoja – One Kenya coalition. The disagreement escalated to the Supreme Court, which ultimately upheld Ruto’s victory, much to the Opposition’s dissatisfaction.
In her speech, while advocating for Kenya as a prime investment destination for the global community, Whitman did not shy away from expressing her optimism about the nation’s investment potential and climate. She noted that the Ruto administration had made significant advancements and was dedicated to cultivating a business-friendly atmosphere.
Having assumed her role in Kenya in July 2023, just prior to the last general election, the US envoy indicated her focus on strengthening the US-Kenya trade relationship in conjunction with the government.
“I arrived in Kenya days before the August 2022 General Election. What I witnessed was nothing short of remarkable. Kenya held what many analysts said was the freest, fairest, and most credible election in Kenyan history,” she stated.
She continued, “The elections were observed by international organizations and upheld by the Supreme Court, and power was peacefully and normally transferred at that time.”
These remarks struck a sensitive chord with the Azimio brigade of the opposition, as they had vehemently contested the 2022 General Election results. Azimio perceived the envoy’s comments as intrusive into Kenya’s internal affairs, and their discontent with her statements was palpable.
On a separate note, Raila commended the governors for setting aside their differences “and taking a break from our divisive politics to chart a path forward for Kenya.”
Prior to Raila’s attendance at the devolution forum, the Azimio senators had also convened a press conference to criticize Whitman’s comments. They described her remarks as unfortunate and expressed the hope that they reflected her personal stance rather than the official position of the American government.