Clinton in Kenya for AGOA summit
By Harry Ndeta

NAIROBI , Kenya__The US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton arrived in Nairobi, Kenya on Friday for the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) conference which brings together US and Africa in the field of trade and commerce.

This comes at a time when the Obama administration has expressed disappointment with the way the Kenyan government is handling matters of post-election violence through local courts and the Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission (TJRC).

“The United States is deeply concerned by the coalition government’s decision that appears to indicate it will not pursue establishment of an independent Special Tribunal to hold accountable perpetrators of post-election violence.

Merely expanding the role of the Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission and establishing a mechanism within the existing judicial structure is not a credible approach in the eyes of the Kenyan people and the international community,” said a statement by the US government.

US Secretary of state, Hillary Clinton

But barely hours before Clinton landed at the Jomo Kenyatta International Conference Centre (KICC), the Kenyan government appeared to be on the war path when it declared Africa should not be lectured on governance by anyone.

Prime Minister Raila Odinga said the continent is in transition from dictatorial regimes and as such it is undertaking reforms on good governance and democracy out of its own volition.

“It’s only after the fall of the Berlin wall that new terminologies were invented; transparency, accountability and good governance. We have re-introduced these too not because we want to placate any donors, but because we know it is right for Africa,” he stressed.

While officially opening of the 8th AGOA Forum, Prime Minister Odinga stated that instead of speeches on how to improve the rule of law, African countries welcome ideas on how to increase trade.
“We need more lectures on how we are going to trade with the rest of the world than how we are going to govern ourselves,” he retorted.

While in Kenya, Clinton is expected to meet President Mwai Kibaki and Primier Odinga at Kenyatta International Conference Centre to discuss the poll chaos trials and implementation of Agenda Four of the Serena Talks.

Despite the move by the cabinet to vouch for TJRC and High Court to try the suspected perpetrators of poll chaos, Clinton may still push for formation of a special tribunal.
US has been instrumental in pushing for the tribunal and implementation of the reforms promised by the Grand Coalition government.

Recently, US President Barrack Obama skipped Kenya in his inaugural tour of Africa for what was attributed to poor governance and rampant corruption in the country.
Clinton is likely to use the AGOA talks to reiterate Obama’s scathing attack on Kenya which is his paternal country.

“The United States will stand firmly behind the Kenyan people as they insist on full implementation of the reform agenda. We will take the necessary steps to hold accountable those who do not support the reform agenda or who support violence,” warned the US government.

The AGOA summit ends on Thursday with climax speech from US secretary of State Hillary Clinton who is leading a delegation from the US looking for how to better trade relations with Africa.

US assistant Secretary of State for African affairs Johnnie Carson said that Clinton would also address Kenya’s governance problems, corruption, human rights abuses and impunity.

ENDS

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Clinton in Kenya for AGOA summit