Thursday, December 23, 2010

MPs demand expulsion of US envoy Ranneberger

By DAVID OCHAMI
Parliament began debate on a Motion to censure and expel US Ambassador Michael Ranneberger following revelations of his unflattering assessment of the Kenyan leadership.
The Motion accuses US President Barack Obama’s representative in Nairobi of undermining the Government and working against the interests of the country.
When he moved the Motion to reprimand and expel Ranneberger over his alleged misconduct, Imenti North MP Silas Ruteere said the ambassador was working against the national interests.
The Motion follows the leakage of diplomatic cables sent from US embassies across the world to Washington. The cables included some sent by Ranneberger in which he describes President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga as Old Guard politicians who are beneficiaries of corruption and lack of transparency.
The cables released by whistleblower website, WikiLeaks, have dealt a major blow to US foreign relations and have also put world leaders in embarrassing situations as unflattering assessment of them is played out.
Yesterday, Ruteere accused the envoy of trying to sabotage Kenya’s relations with China out of jealousy for the latter’s dominance in key infrastructure contracts. He also accuses him of engaging in activities aimed at touching off a regime change.
"When diplomats work against the institutions of this country they are not working for the good of this country," declared the MP, who accused Ranneberger of "writing derogatory letters about our leaders" referring to the WikiLeaks cables.
The Imenti North MP also accused Ranneberger of trying to force Kenya to buy food unfit for human consumption from the US, apparently referring to a June 10, last year letter asking Industrialisation Minister Henry Kosgey to allow the importation of 19,000 metric tonnes of maize aboard a ship MV Aguila.
"He is going around the country telling the people to change Government," charged Ruteere.
"If he is not ready to respect our country he should pack up and go," said Lari MP David Njuguna.
Other MPs who supported the Motion said they were angry at the envoy for "transforming himself into a local councillor".
Dujis MP, Aden Duale, who admitted the US Government has been funding projects in his constituency, said the envoy was getting involved with grassroots level politics. "He has basically become a local councillor," Duale said.
Karua expelled
An attempt by Gichugu MP Martha Karua to oppose the Motion led to heated debate, with Chepalungu MP Isaac Rutto asking the former Justice Minister to confirm whether she was among 60 MPs who are part of a group on the payroll of the US.
Rutto was forced by the Deputy Speaker Farah Maalim to withdraw the remark and apologise.
But Karua, a former critic of Western diplomats including Ranneberger when she was the Justice minister, was later expelled.
She was kicked out for asking whether the six people named recently by International Criminal Court prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo as holding the highest level of responsibility for the 2008 post-election violence, sponsored the Motion.
Deputy Speaker Farah Maalim was forced to expel Karua from the House after she refused to apologise for her comment.
Yatta MP Charles Kilonzo and Turkana Central MP Ekwee Ethuro accused Karua of engaging in double standards when she described the Motion as "misguided and embarrassing". Kilonzo said Karua "spent most of her time when she was Justice minister criticising these ambassadors".
But Karua said Kenya’s Parliament risked transforming itself into "the greatest auction House in Africa".
Ethuro said the Gichugu MP habitually lambasted envoys in defence of the Kibaki regime, including declaring former British High Commissioner, Edward Clay, persona non grata.
However, it was after Karua said, "Some MPs are in tears for being denied entry visas to the US", that Rutto challenged her to declare if she had received money from the US Government.
And from Ruto: "WikiLeaks says 60 MPs are on the US payroll. Could Martha Karua be one of them?"
The Gichugu MP said she could not have received money from the US Government to pay Parliament’s reform caucus members as indicated in the leaks, because she is not a member of the group.
"I am not a member of the reform caucus. The Honourable member (Rutto) is. Mr Speaker, this Motion may have been sponsored by sections of the ‘Ocampo Six’."
Besides Karua, nominated MP Millie Odhiambo and Kisumu Town MP Shakeel Shabbir opposed the Motion.
Politicians pricked
Duale and Kasarani MP Elizabeth Ongoro accused Ranneberger of gross indiscipline and misconduct.
Ranneberger has pricked local politicians over his public attacks on corruption, financial support of youth programmes, conduct during the 2007 presidential election, and involvement in the August 4 referendum.
Anger against him reached its peak early this month following the publication of his cables to the US Department of State, accusing Kibaki, Raila and the Cabinet of being anti-reformist.
During the Madaraka Day celebrations on December 12, the two principals lambasted Ranneberger’s dealings with the youth and alleged indulgence in internal politics. They accused him of behaving like a colonial governor.
The debate yesterday comes within the context of an emotional political landscape following last week’s release of names of six individuals under investigation by the ICC over the 2007/2008-post election violence.
The envoy has been supporting the ICC involvement in Kenya, even though the US does not recognise the court.
A separate Motion calling for Kenya to withdraw from the Rome Statute establishing the ICC was withdrawn from Parliament on Tuesday.
It was to be reintroduced last evening in an amended form.
If Parliament continues sitting through next week, the Motion will be discussed on Wednesday morning, when Private Members Motions are dealt with.
But if MPs go on recess, the Motion will be discussed when MPs return in the New Year.

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