Raila warns ‘rogue’ US Ambassador Meg Whiteman
Kenya’s opposition leader Raila Odinga has warned Ms Meg Whiteman, the US Ambassador to Kenya, to desist from ‘interfering with the country’s internal affairs’.
Mr Odinga, who heads the Azimio la Umoja coalition, made the remaks in his address to delegates at the Devolution Conference in Eldoret on August 17, 2023.
Mr Odinga, who finished second behind President William Ruto in the highly contested 2022 presidential elections, further referred to the diplomat as ‘rogue’.
“We want to tell the rogue ambassador to leave Kenyans alone,” warned Odinga.
The veteran politician further added that the recent anti-government protests had been good for the country, as they had facilitated the ongoing National Dialogue between the government and opposition.
The National Dialogue is co-chaired by former vice-president Kalonzo Musyoka and National Assembly Majority leader Kimani Ichungwah.
“If maandamano (protests) can lead to dialogue between Ichung’wa and Kalonzo, everything is good with maandamano. Tell the rogue ambassador (that) Kenya is not the United States, Kenya is not a colony of United States. Keep your mouth shut.”
Not done, Mr Odinga, who has unsuccessfully contested for the presidency on five occasions since 2007, threatened to lead a petition to have the ambassador recalled if she will not keep off Kenya’s affairs.
Odinga’s remarks come barely a day after the diplomat, speaking at the same podium a day earlier, praised the 2022 polls.
Mr Odinga has consistently contested the outcome of the polls.
He has claimed the move by the seven team Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commision (IEBC) to take different sides on the results announced by former chairman Wafula Chebukati was proof that the election was marred by irregularities.
Besides the polls, the US ambassador praised Kenya’s democracy and infrastructure development as among the best in Africa.
In particular, she said the country displayed maturity on the democratic front during the 2022 polls.
“I arrived in Kenya days before the August 2022 general election. What I witnessed was nothing short of remarkable. Kenya held what many analysts and commentators say was the freest, fairest and most remarkable election in Kenyan history,” Ambassador Whitman said.
Besides Mr Odinga, the diplomat’s remarks which handed her a standing ovation by senior government officials including President William Ruto, have landed her in trouble with the opposition.
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