Ahead of the visit by the second-most powerful figure in the US, elaborate security measures have been put in place.
US Vice President Joe Biden
Five special vehicles, sniffer dogs, special gun detectors, special bulletproof vests, and other gadgets are among equipment shipped in from the US ahead of Biden’s arrival. President Barack Obama who traces his roots to Kenya was initially to attend the opening of the World Cup in South Africa, but he asked Biden to represent the US.
A source familiar with international relations claimed cancellation of Obama’s trip was "tactful because if he were the one to travel he would not have avoided Kenya, which he is not ready to do at this point."
And as a show of confidence in the Proposed Constitution by the Obama Administration, Biden is expected to announce funds the US will be dishing out to the Government in support of the process, according to US Ambassador Michael Rannerberger.
While in Kenya, Biden will be riding in special vehicles and would not rely on those that would have been provided by Kenya.
US security agents are also expected to take charge of protecting their Vice-President but would co-operate with their Kenyan counterparts.
Top Secret Services officials, who included snipers and arrived ahead of Biden, told those from Kenya their work will be, among others, to clear crowds and vehicles.
"Once he is here, ours will be just clearing traffic for him. They met us and said they would be in charge of everything," said a senior Kenyan officer who requested anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter.
Secret Service agents started arriving last month, to ensure security before Biden arrives. We could not establish how many they are, but insiders put it at about 40.
They met a team of Kenyan police on Thursday and Friday to arrange how they wanted their programme to run.
A source said the Secret Service agents whose role is ensuring the safety of VIPs such as the President, former Presidents, Vice-Presidents, presidential candidates, their families, did not want to engage the Kenyan security.
"They said it is their role to ensure the VP is safe and leaves safely," added another Kenyan official.
would visit
Their interest has been two major hotels where Biden and his team would be staying for the three days he would be around, and the places he would visit, including Parliament and the University of Nairobi.
Security has been beefed up in the city ahead of his arrival tonight, with police being put on standby to start work from this evening, until the day he flies out to South Africa.
The plane carrying Biden touches down at 7pm and will be welcomed by Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka.
Several police officers have been placed on Mombasa Road to clear human and regular traffic for his convoy.
Security has been beefed up at Hotel Intercontinental where Biden will be staying. Insiders said movements there might be limited from midday on Monday.
The Secret Service is a US federal law enforcement agency that is part of the United States Department of Homeland Security. The sworn members are divided among the Special Agents and the Uniformed Division.
Apart from meeting President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga, Biden will also hold talks with National Assembly Speaker Kenneth Marende and the Clerk Patrick Gichohi. Though the subject of discussion is scanty, sources intimated that the role of Parliament in reforms would top the agenda.
After meeting the Speaker, Biden would also hold talks with Parliamentary Select Committee on Constitutional Review Chairman Abdikadir Mohamed, and nine members of the Parliamentary Caucus on Reforms.
Kabete retreat
The members of the caucus include MPs Danson Mungatana, Olago-Aluoch, Margaret Kamar, and Bonny Khalwale.
The caucus is one of the outfits fronting a new constitution and was behind the Kabete retreat that brought together MPs in March, to negotiate contents of the Proposed Constitution.
Biden’s visits paves way for President Obama who has said he would visit the homeland of his father.
Although a dispatch from the White House states Biden will discuss "bilateral and regional security issues" with Kibaki and Raila, the timing of the talks is curious.
Campaigns ahead of the August referendum poll have peaked while the ICC investigators are in the country, poring over documents and listening to potential witnesses.
Like those before him, Biden is expected to push the realisation of a new constitution. Although the two principals have publicly stated their support for the document, some key Government ministers and officials are out of step.
The US Government has previously warned of unspecified action against the Kenyan leadership should it fail to implement the reform agenda and end intermittent wrangles that have threatened to derail the Grand Coalition Government.
Obama and Joe Biden influence Constitution writing? See below
ReplyDeleteDear brethren,
There is an obvious difference between the November 2009 draft and February
2010 proposed new constitution. Is the USA government writing a new
constitution?
Thursday April 1, 2010
------------------------------
Kenyan Parliament Approves Pro-Abortion Constitution
April 1, 2010 (LifeSiteNews.com ) - The
Parliamentary Network for Critical Issues expressed its deep regret that
today, the Kenyan Parliament passed a Draft Constitution which will enshrine
a right to abortion in the highest law of the land. The constitution does
not contain any meaningful restrictions on abortion, despite recognition of
the right to life from conception. Section 26 contains language which allows
abortion when in the "opinion of a trained health professional, there is
need for emergency treatment, or the life or health of the mother is in
danger, or if permitted by any other written law."
This is a reversal of previous law on abortion - which required the opinion
of two medical doctors who agreed an abortion was necessary for the life of
the mother- and will open the door to abortion on demand.
Abortion is also advanced in Article 43 of the Draft which states: (1) Every
person has the right- (a) to the highest attainable standard of health,
which includes the right to health care services, including reproductive
health care;
According to PNCI Director Marie Smith, "This section can fool those
unschooled in pro-abortion deceptions but in the US we know that
reproductive health is defined by pro-abortion advocates at the highest
level of government as including access to abortion. Hillary Clinton
believes it does and as the US undertakes a new Global Health Initiative,
Clinton is in a key position as Secretary of State to make sure her
definition is imposed on US-sponsored health programs globally, including in
Kenya."
Another section of the Draft Constitution uses a pro-abortion tactic which
can escape attention if one is not 'abortion literate'. According to Smith,
"The Draft creates the Kenya National Human Rights and Equality Commission
to 'act as the principal organ of the State in ensuring compliance with
obligations under treaties and conventions relating to human rights.' "
"The problem is that pro-abortion agitators continually re-interpret UN
treaties and conventions to advance their abortion agenda, including radical
members of treaty bodies. If such individuals serve on the Kenyan Human
Rights Commission--as they did on the Committee of Experts tasked with
writing the final Draft Constitution--any Kenya law or policy which limits
abortion will be eliminated."
Leading pro-abortion legal entity, the Center for Reproductive Rights (CRR),
implored Clinton to send a message to Kenya expressing support for the Draft
Constitution and opposing any amendments to eliminate abortion language or
the Human Rights and Equality Commission. The Clinton letter by Nancy
Northup attacked the right to life clause using common pro-abortion
propaganda:
"It is also directly at odds with international human rights law.
International and African regional human rights treaties and the official
bodies that have interpreted their provisions have not extended "right to
life" protections to fetuses. Instead, their decisions support the position
that recognizing the right to life from conception would interfere
significantly with women's basic human rights."
An intense campaign to protect the unborn and their mothers from the
violence of abortion has taken face begin in Kenya as the nation moves to a
referendum on the new constitution in August 4th.
URL: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2010/apr/10040114.html
Dr Stephen Muketha
http://www.kenyachristianchurchforum.org