Raila Odinga: Kenya Kwanza ruining EAC relations

Azimio leader Raila Odinga. [Standard,File]

Azimio leader Raila Odinga has accused the Kenya Kwanza regime of ruining Kenya’s relations with East African Community (EAC) countries.

He said that the EAC countries are Kenya’s closest allies and most valuable trading partners, and that previous governments had worked hard to maintain and strengthen regional cooperation.

However,he said,  the current administration, led by President William Ruto, has alienated and offended the EAC countries through its “corrupt and arrogant” behaviour and its “foul mouth.”

The absence of EAC leaders on Madaraka Day, when the country was celebrating its 60th independence anniversary, was a clear indication of a strained relationship, he pointed out.

“Unfortunately, since Kenya Kwanza came to power, matters have taken a turn for the worse. Kenyans realized that there is something terribly wrong with the relationship between us and our East African neighbours when we celebrated the significant milestone of 60 years since independence,” Odinga said.

The Azimio leader also revealed that Uganda has taken Kenya to court over a controversial formula that requires Uganda to pay a “middleman” fee for its oil products passing through Kenya.

This, he noted,  was a “criminal and extortionist” scheme by the Kenya Kwanza cartel, which has monopolized the petroleum sector and treats it as its “personal property.”

Uganda has a right to access the sea as a landlocked country, and this right is protected by various international laws and treaties, such as the [EAC treaty], Odinga said. The Kenya Kwanza cartel’s actions are violating the EAC treaty, and Kenya will suffer the consequences in the future for harming its landlocked neighbours, he warned.

“How shortsighted and greedy can a regime be? Uganda has been forced to seek a different route through Dar es Salaam, and the other EAC countries will follow suit, and Kenya will be the loser eventually,” he said.

Odinga gave examples of how the Kenya Kwanza regime’s actions will negatively impact the Kenyan economy and society.

“For example, the long-distance haulage industry will collapse, and Kenyan businesses will have to close down. More people will lose jobs. We don’t think that our girls being employed as maids in the Middle East countries will be able to bridge such a gap,” he noted.

The Azimio leader also slammed the Kenya Kwanza regime for insulting Rwanda, another EAC member, through its Transport Cabinet Secretary, who used “undiplomatic and rude” language against the country and its people. This was a sign of poor statecraft and diplomacy, and the Kenya Kwanza regime lacks the etiquette and sophistication required for international relations, he added.

He praised Rwanda as a great and progressive country and apologized to the Rwandese people for the Kenya Kwanza regime’s offences.

“Rwanda is the size of Switzerland and is actually bigger than Singapore. It is not the size that makes nations, but the vision and leadership. To our Rwandese brothers and sisters, we apologize for the sins of a regime intoxicated by power and corruption,” he said.

Odinga expressed his concern and dismay as a party leader over the direction that the Kenya Kwanza regime is taking Kenya on the global stage. He said that the Kenya Kwanza regime is jeopardizing Kenya’s reputation and interests, and that the country will pay a high price for its recklessness.