By Chris Wamalwa
Las Vegas; Nevada: Kenyan ambassador to the US on Saturday denied allegations by The National Alliance (TNA) that he met with Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs at the Kenyan embassy in Washington, DC on Tuesday to discuss a US statement delivered on Thursday that was regarded as being critical of TNA’s presidential candidate.
In an exclusive interview with the Standard from his hotel in Las Vegas where he is attending a rugby tournament in which the Kenyan rugby team is participating, Mr Elkanah Odembo said his meeting with Assistant Secretary of State Johnnie Carson was convened specifically to shore up support for Kenya’s candidate for the top job at the World Trade Organization (WTO), Ms Amina Mohammed and had nothing to do with influencing America’s position on the forthcoming general elections.
“As you know, Kenya has forwarded the name of Amina Mohammed for the position of Director General which is an important position and so I have communication from the ministry of Foreign Affairs in Nairobi that we need to do what we need to do to advocate for her candidature so I had a series of meeting”. He said
In a conference call with reporters, Mr Carson repeatedly said that Kenyan voters should be ready to face the consequences of their choice come election day.
This has definitely not gone down well with TNA who have interpreted it as a warning that US relations with Kenya would be negatively affected by an election of the Jubilee duo- Uhuru Kenyatta and William Ruto who have are facing charges of crimes against humanity at the International Criminal Court at the Hague.
Mr. Odembo regretted the fact that the local partisan politics in Kenya now seem to be taking centre stage in the diplomatic circles. “It is unfortunate. We should not be allowing our local politics to be playing out in the international and diplomatic area”. He said.
Amina Mohamed, deputy director of the UN Environmental Programme, is seeking international support in a competition that will be decided in late May.
Ambassador Odembo also dismissed an indirect charge by TNA that he favours a particular candidate in Kenya’s presidential race.
“I am in the United States on behalf of the government and the people of Kenya. I am not here campaigning for any individual running for any office in the Republic of Kenya.” He said.
Mr Odembo said he also thanked Mr Carson during the Wednesday meeting for President Obama’s comments on Tuesday regarding the importance of conducting a peaceful poll next month.
