By KENFREY KIBERENGE
When President Kibaki announced Kenya had struck oil in Turkana last month, citizens were glad the discovery would bring an end to poverty.
But miles away in Europe, a different kind of elation took place: Media houses chest-thumped that it was a home-grown company that had struck the oil first, beating competitors from other countries like China.
Chinese President Hu Jintao on a visit to Nairobi. [PHOTO: FILE/STANDARD]
The respected Telegraph newspaper of UK screamed: "A British company has announced it has struck oil in Kenya for the first time, beating rivals, including China, in the race to strike crude."
Oil discovery
But it would later emerge that Tullow Oil had used Chinese technology that made it possible to locate the oil deposits in Ngamia 1, effectively handing the bragging rights to the Asian country.
This best captured the silent rivalry between Western countries and China in the race to win or retain developing countries, only second to the cold war era, pitting the US against former Soviet Union.
In Kenya, the Westâs frustrations were highlighted a few weeks ago by a public outburst by French ambassador Etienne de Poncins that President Kibaki had become extremely difficult to reach.
While such complaint would have ordinarily attracted an outright apology from State House, President Kibaki instead appeared to savour the moment, seeking to explain why Kenya had shunned the West in favour of East.
"The President has been strategic and has not been unreachable to any nation that works for the good of the Kenyan people and appreciates the role played by external partners in endeavours to uplift the lives of Kenyans and citizens of neighbouring states," read a dispatch from the PPS.
Diplomatic policy
