Envoy says US firm on push for reforms

By Peter Atsiaya

A tough-talking US Ambassador Michael Ranneberger told Kenya to expect more pressure from President Barack Obama on the reform agenda.

He said President Obama was personally monitoring Kenya and would not allow a few politicians to block the reform process.

Nyanza Youth Coalition Co-ordinator Joshua Nyamori (right) receives US Ambassador Michael Ranneberger at Kisumu Polytechnic, where the envoy addressed youth from Nyanza, Wednesday . [PHOTO: TITUS MUNALA/standard]

"America’s stand on Kenya has not changed. We shall continue to push for meaningful reforms and to ensure leaders do the right thing," said the envoy.

He said the decision to write warning letters to 15 Kenyan MPs and ministers still stood despite protests from President Kibaki.

America targeted the leaders for allegedly frustrating efforts to bring reforms in the country and has threatened to impose travel restrictions on them.

But speaking in Kisumu yesterday, a day after Foreign Affairs Minister Moses Wetangula summoned him over the letters, Mr Ranneberger said his government did not breach diplomatic rules.

He also denied claims he was misadvising President Obama on the Kenyan situation.

"The perception by some leaders that I am misadvising President Obama on the Kenyan situation is wrong because he knows Kenya better than I do," said Ranneberger.