US duo to meet State officials

By PETER ORENGO

Two high-ranking US officials are in the country on what has been described as a mission to discuss bilateral and regional issues with Kenya.

According to information from the US Embassy, Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg and Assistant Secretary of State Johnnie Carson landed Wednesday evening and are expected to meet top Government officials today.

Mr Steinberg and Mr Carson’s visit comes at a time the country is enmeshed in squabbles occasioned by the controversial nominations to the Judiciary, which has caused a rift in the Coalition Government.

The last two times Carson visited Kenya was to convey a message from President Obama, which was to engage the two principals on the implementation of the reform agenda.

Another banned

Next he came to inform the Government that one more Kenyan top official was banned from stepping on US soil, with three more to be on the list of unwanted persons.

The message from the US Embassy read in part: "This visit is part of Deputy Secretary Steinberg’s travel to Asia and Africa. In Africa, the Deputy Secretary is leading the US delegation to the African Union Summit in Addis Ababa, and also visiting Djibouti, Khartoum, Juba, Kampala and Accra."

It said in Kenya, Steinberg was to meet senior Government officials to discuss "bilateral and regional issues". Carson’s last visit came after Parliament last February thwarted attempts to establish a local tribunal to try perpetrators of post-election violence, citing the possibility of political interference.

Carson spoke soon after arriving in Nairobi ahead of Moreno-Ocampo’s meeting with President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga on tackling impunity.

"I am in Kenya to deliver a clear message from President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on the need to urgently enact reforms, end the culture of impunity and corruption," Carson had said.

He went on: "Obama wants the Grand Coalition Government to implement reforms to ensure democracy and long-term stability."

Carson further warned that people could no longer get away with impunity and corruption, and demanded action on those bearing responsibility for post-election violence immediately. Judicial and police reforms as recommended by the Justice Philip Waki-led commission are yet to be fully implemented.

Judicial reforms are part of the reform agenda, which Kibaki and Raila had promised Kenyans.

When Kenya promulgated the Constitution, Obama was one of the first presidents to praise the country for the achievement.

A dispatch from the US Embassy said Carson’s visit shows the importance the US places on Kenya.