US tells leaders to respect laws

By Chris Wamalwa in Delaware, USA

The US Government understands the challenges Kenya faces in implementing the new laws and is ready to assist, a US Senator said.

Reiterating President Barack Obama’s concern in the unfolding wrangles within the Coalition Government concerning key judicial nominations, Delaware State Senator Chris Coons said what Kenya was experiencing now was not entirely unexpected because there were many vested interests in the new Constitution.

"At the end of the day, however, what is important is for Kenyans and especially the leaders, to respect the new laws and work together to give Kenyans a prosperous future," Senator Coons told The Standard.

He was accompanied by Kenyan Ambassador to the US Elkanah Odembo assured the US government and the business community that the current judicial nomination wrangles will soon be resolved amicably.

Meanwhile, President Kibaki held talks with the US Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg at his Harambee House office, where they discussed bilateral and regional issues of mutual interest between the two countries.

During the meeting, also attended by the US Assistant Secretary of State Johnnie Carson, President Kibaki briefed the deputy Secretary of State on the mechanisms his Government was putting in place to deal with the masterminds of post-election violence, and modalities to implement the new Constitution.

Mr Steinberg supported the Kenya Government in her bid to establish a local judicial mechanism to try the perpetrators of the 2007/2008 post-election violence.

He pointed out that the ICC would consider Kenya’s case if the request was forwarded after a credible judicial mechanism was put in place first, as per article 19 of the Rome Statute.

Refugee burden

President Kibaki and Steinberg also discussed the situation in Somalia and the way forward after the term of office of the Transition Federal Government (TFG), which expires in August.

Kibaki said the instability in Somalia was hurting Kenya and the Eastern African region, and urged the US to consider the strengthening of the TFG as a crucial tool to stabilising the country and restoring the rule of law.

"This would go a long way in facilitating the resettlement of refugees and internally displaced persons, and consequently alleviating the regional refugee burden," said the President.

The leaders also discussed the outcome of the recent referendum in the Sudan and the way forward, pledging support to both the North and the new Southern Sudan states.

The talks were attended by Internal Security Minister Prof George Saitoti among other senior Kenya and US government officials.

— Additional reporting by PPS