Kibaki Meets U.S. Kenyans, Promises Dual Citizenship

Kenyans who turned up in large numbers at the Hotel Helmsley in New York City anxiously wait to meet President Mwai Kibaki who was in town for the 43 rd UN General Assembly last week

By Harrison Maina 
AjabuAfrica.com

NEW YORK, September 24 – President Mwai Kibaki promised Kenyans in the Diaspora that the issue of dual citizenship will embedded in a new constitution to be completed in less than a year. 

Kibaki was speaking to several hundred Kenyans from various parts of the United States who congregated at the prestigious New York City Helmsley Hotel on Wednesday.

“We are allowing Kenyans who get married by foreigners to have dual citizenship,” Kibaki said, followed by applause from ecstatic Kenyans. “We are working on a new constitution that will be ready in about one year and duo citizenship is provided for in that new constitution.”  
 
Currently, Kenyans who take up citizenship of other countries must relinquish their Kenyan citizenship. If legalized, dual citizenship will allow Kenyans who become citizens of other countries to move back and forth between the two involved countries any time they want without going through the rigorous visa process.
 
The president thanked Kenyans abroad for sending money to their families and friends in Kenya.   

“Thank you very much for remembering people at home,” he said. “The additional money you send home is so great.”

Allowing Kenyans to hold more than one citizenship will greatly improve the input of Diaspora Kenyans to the development of Kenya.Kenyans living abroad remit about KSh. 90 billion ($1.2 billion) annually. 

H.E. President Mwai Kibaki addresses Kenyans who attended a dinner party organized by the Kenyan Mission in New York for Diaspora Kenyans

President Kibaki cast away fears and doubts about the effectiveness of the new coalition government that was crafted after the chaos resulting from hotly contested general elections earlier this year.

He said that the coalition government was working and functioning wonderfully and that everyone was interested in seeing a united country moving forward to attain prosperity and peace for all.
 
“We have forgotten what happened and we are now working together as a people. We are back to normal everywhere. We should not have another Kenyan killed by a fellow Kenyan,” President Kibaki said. 

“You can even see I have ministers from every party here with me today,” the president said causing laughter.  

He was referring to ministers who accompanied him for the U.S. trip to attend the UN General Assembly. Among them were Minister for Foreign Affairs, Moses Wetangula (Ford- Kenya), Minister for Justice, National Cohesion & Constitutional Affairs, Martha Karua, (Narc- Kenya) Minister for Vision 2030, Wyclife Oparanya ( ODM), Minister for Education , Sam Ongeri (KANU) and the Assistant Minister for Foreign affairs, Richard Onyonka, who recently relocated back to Kenya after living in New Jersey for six years. The Attorney General,Amos Wako was also present. 

The president said it was better for people to speak about what happened during that fateful period in Kenya’s history so that they can understand, accept it and  move on to continue living as friends as it had always been. 

The president added that his government was continuing to offer free primary education to all Kenyans regardless of their background. The government was also in the process of helping those who lost their homes to go back rebuild their lives, he said. 

Foreign affairs minister, Hon. Moses Wetangula takes questions from Kenyans who attended the special dinner party in New York

Kenya's US Ambassdor , Hon. Peter.O. Ogengo addressing Kenyans during the dinner party hosted in honor of President Mwai kibaki who was in the country for the 43 rd UN General Assembly

He said that Kenyans back home need the input of their compatriots abroad towards the new constitution in the pipeline. 

“We are writing a new constitution within one year. It will be done. Write to your MP or minister on what you want in the new constitution,” the President urged. 

The president’s speech was followed by a question and answer session where the ministers took questions from Kenyans present.

Wetangula, the foreign affairs minister, said that the government was looking to set up consular offices in different U.S. cities with large populations of Kenyan nationals so as to services close to them effectively.  
 
“We have taken steps to set up a direct link for you with Kenya and we are opening consular offices in various cities,” Wetangula said. “We all look up to you to market our country. Wherever you are you should be united as Kenyans and see each other as one great country.”

Justice, Constitution Affairs and National Cohesion minister, Hon. Martha Karua chats with Kenyans in the USA shortly after the address by President Mwai Kibaki

Pastor Karanja of Christ Harvest Church in Atlanta, GA and other Kenyans during a word of prayer led by Rev. Penny Njoroge

  The Justice and National Cohesion minister, Karua, assured Kenyans that the process of rebuilding the lives of people who suffered due to the resultant general elections chaos was going on smoothly.  

“Operation Rundi Nyumbani (Return home) is happening pretty well,” Karua said. 

Speaking about the ambitious Vision 2030 plan for Kenya’s future, Oparanya, the minister in charge said that the country was looking for the private sector and the Diaspora Kenyans to become heavily involved in making the vision a reality. 

He disclosed that his ministry had created the Department of Diaspora and International Jobs to coordinate the efforts of Kenyans abroad at getting high quality jobs and information of investment opportunities in Kenya. 

“We want to draw from the talent that you have,” Oparanya said. ”We need the Kenyan Diaspora integrated with us You don’t have to come back, you can outsource your services to Kenya; of course at a fee” he added to the amusement of the audience. 

Onyonka, the assistant minister for foreign affairs, gave hope to Kenyans struggling in foreign countries  as he empathized describing the hard life he lived in the New Jersey for six years before relocating back  to Kenya and eventually becoming an assistant minister.

Foreign affairs assistant minister, Hon. Richard Onyonka, a former New Jersey resident who relocated back to Kenya

Kenyans socialize after the prime address by President Mwai Kibaki

“I know it’s not easy here. But you gotta keep moving,” Onyonka said. “I used to live here in New Jersey and drove a cab everyday. Yeah, I used to drive that thing man,” he added eliciting great amusement and applause. 

The attorney general, Hon. Amos Wako assured Kenyans abroad that the security situation had dramatically improved in Kenya. He said that the coalition government was working very well and that the level of security had gone up.

“Crimes such as car jacking and robbery with violence have gone down,” Wako said, adding that the little violence that existed was no different from that  found in any other country in the world. 

On his part, Ongeri, the minister for Education, thanked the Kenyans in U.S.A. for the efforts they were making at improving their lives and those of others back home. 

The speech session was followed by a vote of thanks by Pastor Karanja of Christ Harvest Church in Atlanta Georgia, and a final word of prayer by Rev. Penny Njoroge, a licensed Cclinical pastoral counselor based in Birmingham, Ala.
 
As the president was herded to his private suite, the ministers freely mingled with Kenyans and chatted away as they enjoyed the endless supply of nyama choma (roasted meat), barbequed turkey, bread and cold drinks available at State House’s expense. 

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