Kenya officially recognises Libya's transitional council

By David Ochami and Cyrus Ombati

Kenya has officially announced recognition of the authority of the Transitional National Council (TNC) in Libya and asked the council to foster dialogue and a negotiated settlement to the six-month Libyan crisis.

Acting Foreign Affairs minister Prof George Saitoti issued a statement declaring that with the “impending collapse of the regime of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi” Kenya would work with the new authorities in Tripoli to restore peace to the North African nation.

Saitoti issued the statement a day after all officials of the Libyan embassy in Nairobi switched recognition to the TNC. On Sunday, embassy officials lowered the green flag of the Gaddafi regime and approved measures to hoist the red, green and white one of the TNC.

The embassy in Nairobi remained without a flag on Tuesday but officials said the TNC flag would be hoisted Wednesday.

Acting Foreign Affairs minister Prof George Saitoti.

“Kenya urges that all efforts be exerted for the early restoration of peace and stability in Libya,” Saitoti said in a statement.

“We therefore call on the interim authority to proceed with the immediate establishment of an all inclusive political dialogue aimed at bringing together all the people of Libya, and that will culminate in the holding of free, fair and transparent elections under a new constitution,” Saitoti said.

Saitoti said Kenya had been following with utmost attention the rapidly evolving situation in Libya.

“Kenya has always believed that only a political solution will make it possible to fulfill the mutually reinforcing objectives of peace, democracy, respect for human rights, the rule of law, and national reconciliation for the people of Libya,” he said.

Saitoti said Kenya still holds the view that there is need to have a political solution in the oil-rich North African nation.

On Monday, the Libyan rebels declared the end of the Gaddafi era when they stormed Tripoli, and even claimed that they had arrested one of the strongman’s defiant sons Seif al-Islam who appeared on television early Tuesday and maintained that he was not under arrest.

Exultant rebel fighters packed in trucks and cars have since Sunday streamed across the capital of the oil-rich North African state, seizing control of Gaddafi’s state television network and Tripoli’s seaside Green Square.

Kenya had initially declined to bow to pressure from Western Nations to stop backing Gaddafi and it appears its decision is informed by latest developments in Libya where defiant rebels have taken over the Capital Tripoli.