“No Kenyan has ever told America who their President is, neither have we ever told the UK or Germany who its Prime Minister is, why should they tell Kenyans who their President is? Kenyans know who their President is,” the Opposition chief said/FILE
NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 11 – National Super Alliance (NASA) leader Raila Odinga has castigated the United States and other Western nations over their remarks on the country’s political situation.
He told them to stop meddling in country’s affairs and respect Kenya’s sovereignty.
“We are telling these diplomats that they must stop being hypocritical. They have no regard for democracy in our country; they are only interested in pursuing business avenues that will exploit our people but benefit their respective countries and economies.”
“No Kenyan has ever told America who their President is, neither have we ever told the UK or Germany who its Prime Minister is. Why should they tell Kenyans who their President is? Kenyans know who their President is,” the Opposition chief said.
Odinga who was once a darling of the West further said; “We are telling them in no uncertain terms, that Kenyan problems will be resolved by Kenyans themselves, they can only be observers.”
The Opposition leader’s comment comes a day after diplomats from 11 countries piled pressure on him urging him to recognise Uhuru Kenyatta as the legitimate President of Kenya as a pre-condition for dialogue to end the political unease in the country.
“The Opposition needs to accept this as the basis for the dialogue that it and many Kenyans want,” US Ambassador Robert Godec said in a statement signed by the envoys.
Odinga maintained that he does not recognize Kenyatta as the President of Kenya saying the National Super Alliance will continue to push for electoral reforms.
The NASA leader swore himself in on January 30 as ‘People’s President’, a move forced the government to carry out a crackdown of the media and the Opposition.
A number Opposition leaders also faced the wrath of the government as it carried out coordinated arrests, detentions, withdrawal of their passports and gun licenses of masterminds to the swearing-in.
Odinga was speakin Sunday after visiting victims of the Kijiji fire tragedy in Lang’ata constituency.
