Diplomatic spat as Annan jets in for talks
A quiet diplomatic furore preceded today’s arrival of former United Nations chief, Mr Kofi Annan, who is expected to jumpstart stalled mediation talks. Mr Adam Wood, the United Kingdom envoy, and his United States counterpart, Mr Michael Rannenberger, appeared to have had embarrassing moments with the Government.
Details of Ranneberger’s visit to State House, Nairobi, remained unclear last night, but a letter the Embassy sent to The Standard disclosed an envoy fighting to defend his country against “blanket accusations”. The Ambassador directed his attack at Government Spokesman, Dr Alfred Mutua.
“My first thought was that these scurrilous propaganda advertisements should not be dignified with a response. Upon further reflection, however, I believe the record should, indeed, be set straight in the interest of ensuring that the Kenyan people know the truth,” Ranneberger stated, in a letter e-mailed by Mr TJ Dowling, who’s in-charge of public affairs at the Nairobi mission. Ranneberger defended his country against claims that it had contributed to post-election violence and maintained that the tallying of presidential votes in last month’s General Election was flawed.
The Office of Public Communications, which Mutua heads, put out advertisements in the print and electronic media, claiming that those who said the tallying of presidential votes in last year’s elections was flawed caused the violence.
In the meantime, Foreign Affairs minister, Mr Moses Wetangula, had summoned Wood to seek clarification over a remark in the British House of Commons last Thursday that the UK does not recognise President Kibaki as legitimately elected. Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Ms Meg Munn, was quoted telling the Commons: “Our Government has not recognised the Government (of Kenya) and is calling on both leaders to co-operate in mediation.”
An angry Wetangula lashed out: “No parliament anywhere has legitimacy to engage in such an unhealthy debate … as a country, we are not short of options in any relationship … I will get a comprehensive comment on Wednesday once the High Commissioner responds.” The UK and US have not formally recognised President Kibaki.
It is within this background — coupled with an attack by ODM on the composition of the PNU mediation team, particularly the inclusion of Vice-President Mr Kalonzo Musyoka as team-leader — that Annan will today arrive in the hope of charting a new course to resolve the post-election impasse.
The political crisis triggered by the disputed presidential vote, which put Kibaki in office, has cost more than 500 lives. Mr Raila Odinga, the ODM leader, insists that the election was stolen from him. Sources at the United Nations offices in Gigiri confirmed Annan’s arrival. “He is coming by private jet. That is why we are unable to confirm the time, but definitely it is tomorrow (today) and we will let you know as soon as that information is provided to us,” a source told The Standard.
Annan will join former Tanzanian President Benjamin Mkapa and Mrs Graca Machel, the wife of former South African President, Mr Nelson Mandela, who are already in the country. Museveni to help mediate Last night, a dispatch from the Foreign Affairs ministry said Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni would also join the talks in his capacity as the chairman of the East African Community. He arrives today. “It all depends on Annan because he is the one in charge of the team. He knows who the members are and what their mandate will be,” a diplomat said.
Cabinet ministers, Ms Martha Karua (Justice), Wetangula, Mr Amos Kimunya (Finance), Mr Uhuru Kenyatta (Local Government), Attorney-General, Mr Amos Wako, and Mbooni MP, Mr Mutula Kilonzo, are members of the Kalonzo team. ODM, whose leader Raila at the weekend dismissed Kalonzo as “Judas Iscariot”, however, chose to play their cards close to their chest.
Speaking from Kisumu, ODM Secretary-General, Prof Anyang’ Nyong’o, said they would only name a team after meeting the mediator and agreeing on the modalities. Said he: “We do not know what the modalities are and what number of people are expected. This amounts to putting the cart before the horse.” But the expected talks were thrown into doubt last week when senior Government officials issued conflicting statements.
Roads minister, Mr John Michuki, a core member of Kibaki’s Cabinet, said there was no crisis and blamed the Press for “exaggerating” the problem. The minister added: “We have not invited Annan or any other eminent personality to come to broker a truce between the two groups. We are not an aggrieved party and it is not our responsibility to do the same. We won the elections.” Michuki’s statement ran was different from a Presidential Press Service one, which restated the Government’s commitment to dialogue. Later on, the Foreign Affairs ministry contradicted Michuki, saying it was looking forward to Annan’s arrival. Michuki’s stand was consistent with his pronouncement the previous day when he ruled out mediation talks and told ODM to go to court.
Others who have adopted this line in the past include Karua and Mutua, who went to the extent of saying Ghanaian President John Kufuor jetted in “to have tea” with Kibaki, his longtime friend. ODM has refused to recognise the results and maintains that it won the presidential election but victory was stolen.
The Electoral Commission of Kenya, whose declaration of Kibaki as winner sparked unprecedented chaos across the country, has admitted flaws in the tallying of the results. The European Union, the Commonwealth, domestic and East African Community observers are agreed that the elections were seriously flawed. The international community has thrown its support behind the mediation efforts, started by South African Nobel laureate Desmond Tutu, and carried on by African Union’s Kufuor.
Since the protests broke out, the Government has taken a hard-line stance and banned live television coverage in what it says is a move “to empower editors to be in charge of broadcast content”. This move has drawn local and international condemnation. The Government has also outlawed public rallies. However, foreign and local leaders have condemned the violence that has claimed hundreds of lives and led to the displacement of 300,000 people.
Yesterday, Amnesty International joined the list of those condemning the use of brute force to break up the protests. Mr Erwin van der Borght, the director of Amnesty International’s Africa Programme, said in a statement yesterday: “We recognise that the police are trying to contain what, in some cases, have been violent protests. However, by firing live ammunition into crowds, the police have exceeded acceptable use of force. The firing of live ammunition into crowds cannot be justified,”
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