BIDEN TO ENDORSE DRAFT

President Barack Obama and his top aides in Washington may be keeping their fingers crossed ahead of Monday’s visit to Kenya by US Vice-President Joe Biden.

Mr Biden will be discussing “a range of issues” with President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga, a State Department official said.

Topics will include the chaos in Somalia, Kenya’s views on the upcoming referendum on the independence of Southern Sudan and “our interest that there be continued progress on reform and reconciliation in Kenya”, the official added.

The US Vice-President is also expected to meet House Speaker Kenneth Marende and members of the Kenya Parliamentary Caucus.

Mr Biden’s public comments are not expected to include any expression of US support for Kenya’s proposed new constitution, the official said.

He has earned a reputation for frankly offering his own views on sensitive subjects, even on a few occasions when they do not coincide with the Obama administration’s official policies.

There is therefore concern in Washington that Mr Biden might explicitly endorse the proposed constitution – and thereby inflame a controversy ignited by three Republican members of the US Congress strongly opposed to abortion.

The Obama administration wants him to emphasise what it regards as essential elements for Kenya’s political stability – but without being seen as interfering in Kenya’s own affairs, and without antagonising abortion foes in Congress.

Kenya’s US Ambassador Peter Ogego said he anticipates Biden “will be encouraging Kenyans to take part in the reform process’’.

But Mr Ogego said he would not comment on whether Mr Biden might call publicly for a Yes vote in the referendum.