US support for reforms will go on, says envoy

By Augustine Oduor

America will continue to support civic education on the Proposed Constitution, US Ambassador Michael Ranneberger has said.

The envoy said civic education on the proposed laws had a big impact on the reform agenda.

His statement comes barely a day after US congressman Christopher Smith accused President Obama of failing to observe neutrality in the Kenyan debate on the Proposed Constitution.

Mr Ranneberger, however, declined to respond to claims by the New Jersey Republican Party member that America was interfering with Kenya’s reform process by pumping millions of American taxpayers money into the process.

Speaking yesterday at Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s residence in Nairobi, Ranneberger said the constitution review process was moving in the right direction and denied America was directly funding ‘Yes’ campaigns.

"Obama has made it clear that he supports the reform process, not the referendum result. And that is what we are doing," he said.

Signs of desperation

In a report, Smith, a Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health, said the US taxpayer-funded agreements had been awarded to NGOs to work up support for the Proposed Constitution against America’s expected principle of neutrality.

He claimed the US had pumped Sh50 million into ‘Yes’ campaigns.

In response, Raila said the allegations were outrageous and asked them to produce proof. "The reform process has not only been supported by the US, but also Europe," he said.

Raila said the allegations were signs of desperation from people who have sensed defeat in the August 4 referendum. "They want an excuse after the referendum when they will say they would have won were it not for interference," he said.