Sunday, March 18, 2012

Are these documents forgeries or genuine leaks?



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By KWENDO OPANGA
Posted  Saturday, March 17  2012 at  17:54
IN SUMMARY
  • Objective: The aim is to discredit the ICC process, demonise London and vilify Mr Odinga and turn the people of Kenya against them
These questions need to be answered regarding the diplomatic flap between Nairobi and London.
One, were those two documents tabled in the House and which caused the commotion forgeries or genuine leaks from the UK’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO)?
Two, would London not only set out to back one of several candidates who have declared an interest in Kenya’s presidency, but also brazenly seek to influence The Hague-based International Criminal Court (ICC) to detain his or her rivals to smooth the way for its chosen one to State House?
Three, would London act this way in total disregard of, or without reckoning with, the potential for destabilising Kenya these actions would have and especially having witnessed the poll violence of late 2007 and early 2008?
If these documents are forgeries, hats off and thumbs up to the folks who did it. They did a good job of it; giving us the telephone and room numbers, physical addresses, titles, names and signatures of the authors and recipients, itemising and detailing issues under analysis and providing footnotes and annexure.
Gross interference
If these documents are genuine, then London is guilty of gross interference in Kenya’s internal affairs and politics in a manner that would seriously injure the country.
If they are forgeries, then the forgers, too, could very easily have plunged – or wanted to plunge – Kenya into chaos by their dark arts.
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House Speaker Kenneth Marende was right: it is only a trained eye – the relevant arm of government, he said – that can tell these documents are genuine.
And he was also right when he ruled that Deputy Speaker Farah Maalim was right to admit the documents for discussion in the House.
While opinion remains sharply divided over the authenticity of the documents, there is no doubting the severity and enormity of the issues they raise and which remain under discussion.
First, Prime Minister Raila Odinga emerges as the villain of the piece as a lackey of London and, by extension, foreign masters.
It is implied that London, against all diplomatic ethics and protocols, was actively campaigning and conspiring to smooth the way for the PM’s election as President in the next General Election.
Worse, the documents purport to show that the ICC has President Kibaki in its crosshairs ready to pull the trigger when he leaves office, arrest and charge him with crimes against humanity.
It is bluntly claimed that Odinga, if President, would facilitate the arrest. Incredibly, the documents purport to show that FCO is working to ensure that Mr Odinga’s rivals, Mr Uhuru Kenyatta and Mr William Ruto, are locked away at The Hague and, therefore, make it impossible for them to run for the presidency.
The upshot of this is that the authors discredit ICC before which Kenyatta and Ruto are set to appear shortly on charges of crimes against humanity, as amenable to the manipulation and machinations of the West. 
The documents also portray the two as victims of a conspiracy involving the UK.
The pointed message to President Kibaki is clear: keep a wide berth between yourself and the ICC and the PM; be very cautious in dealing with London.
For supporters of Mr Kenyatta and Mr Ruto, the documents confirm their oft-repeated line that their men face trial at The Hague at the instigation of Mr Odinga.
Independent court
From the documents, the ICC is not an independent court but the West’s instrument for interference in Kenya and, worse, it seeks to install a puppet regime in the country. The net can be cast further afield; if ICC interferes in Kenya, it could do the same in other African countries.
If they are forgeries or leaks, the aim of those who forged and leaked is the same to discredit the ICC process, demonise London and vilify Mr Odinga and turn the people of Kenya against them.
Those who forged and those who leaked would be mightily disappointed that Kenyans did not take umbrage and take to the streets against the ICC.
However, good people, this is my position: I find the contents of these documents incredible. Fakes or genuine, whoever authored them, Brit or Kenyan, does not have our interests at heart. They would create a tempest – not a kerfuffle – for us over ICC.If these documents are real, then Mr Henry Bellingham, who London is sending over over the matter, must have a most uncomfortable visit. State House must give him a stinging but well deserved earful.
Kwendo Opanga is a media consultant opanga@diplomateastafrica.com

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