Kenya’s opposition politicians have expressed outrage at the US ambassador’s “insensitive” remark about Kenya being the most stable democracy in Africa.
Ambassador Meg Whitman made the comment during a speech to Kenyan authorities, including President William Ruto, on Wednesday.
“I arrived in Kenya days before the 2022 general elections. What I witnessed was nothing short of remarkable. Kenya held what many analysts and commentators say was the freest, fairest and most credible election in Kenyan history,” Ms Whitman said.
The Kenyan opposition, which challenged the results in the Supreme Court, called the elections incorrect and unverifiable.
Ms Whitman’s words angered Oburu Odinga, an opposition senator and brother to opposition leader Raila Odinga, who said it was inappropriate of her to praise Kenya’s democracy at a time when the government had criminalized Kenyans’ right to demonstrate, picket, and gather.
He was referring to the recent arrests of scores of anti-government demonstrators.
The opposition leaders went on to say that Ms Whitman’s remarks could jeopardize existing talks between the Azimio la Umoja opposition coalition and Kenya Kwanza, the ruling coalition. The opposition leaders requested the ambassador to “be sensitive, mature, and refrain from making divisive remarks that are likely to erode trust among Kenyans.”
