Uhuru is wrong, Kenya needs the West Tuesday, February 12, 2013 - 00:00 -- BY DENISE KODHE It is unfortunate and tragic for Uhuru Kenyatta and his running mate William Ruto are misleading Kenyans about Kenya's role in the community of nations, its relations and foreign policy. Uhuru, like any other presidential candidate, should respect Kenyans, who through their parliamentary representatives, decided to have those bearing the most responsibility for the 2007-08 post-election violence tried at the Inernational Criminal Court. The international community was not involved in this decision. Ruto and Uhuru had their chance to try and persuade fellow parliamentarians to have these cases tried locally. It is therefore highly hypocritical for Uhuru and Ruto to turn around now and pretend that the international community is intimidating Kenyans and browbeating them into choosing their leaders. I would urge Uhuru to recall and be guided by the words of the late Internal Security minister, Prof George Saitoti, who said “There comes a time when the nation is bigger than any individual”. Uhuru should realise that Kenya is far bigger than himself or any other presidential candidate. Uhuru and Ruto should also realise that in as much as we may not depend on the international community to balance our budget, we need these countries for their markets. An attempt at ridiculing, ignoring and or dismissing the roles that these countries have to play in our country's economic development is a lack of understanding about how our country's development is interlinked with the West. It would be more useful for us if Uhuru can tell us which markets and which countries are willing to take up our horticulture, flowers even miraa crop at the rate at which the countries he is demonizing are doing. How soon should we expect this 'East' to step in? Western nations as development partners are only interested in the enhancement and promotion of good governance and democracy with integrity. They have no stake in Kenya and have very little to lose or gain if Kenya collapses or sinks as a nation. It is myopic and childish to claim that western nation has anything to gain or get in Kenya whether Uhuru, Raila or whoever is elected president or not. Uhuru should embrace the international community and the ICC to prove that he is not irresponsible and that he respect the rule of law. Making wild allegations and public statements especially in political rallies demeaning and discrediting the international community and ICC is itself criminal and suspect. Such utterances only serve to reinforce the perception that they are inciters and therefore, may be correctly before the ICC. The writer is the executive director for the Institute for Democracy & Leadership in Africa.

Uhuru is wrong, Kenya needs the West

                                                                             - BY DENISE KODHE

It is unfortunate and tragic for Uhuru Kenyatta and his running mate William Ruto are misleading Kenyans about Kenya's role in the community of nations, its relations and foreign policy.
Uhuru, like any other presidential candidate, should respect Kenyans, who through their parliamentary representatives, decided to have those bearing the most responsibility for the 2007-08 post-election violence tried at the Inernational Criminal Court.
The international community was not involved in this decision. Ruto and Uhuru had their chance to try and persuade fellow parliamentarians to have these cases tried locally.
It is therefore highly hypocritical for Uhuru and Ruto to turn around now and pretend that the international community is intimidating Kenyans and browbeating them into choosing their leaders.
I would urge Uhuru to recall and be guided by the words of the late Internal Security minister, Prof George Saitoti, who said “There comes a time when the nation is bigger than any individual”. Uhuru should realise that Kenya is far bigger than himself or any other presidential candidate.
Uhuru and Ruto should also realise that in as much as we may not depend on the international community to balance our budget, we need these countries for their markets.
An attempt at ridiculing, ignoring and or dismissing the roles that these countries have to play in our country's economic development is a lack of understanding about how our country's development is interlinked with the West.
It would be more useful for us if Uhuru can tell us which markets and which countries are willing to take up our horticulture, flowers even miraa crop at the rate at which the countries he is demonizing are doing. How soon should we expect this 'East' to step in?
Western nations as development partners are only interested in the enhancement and promotion of good governance and democracy with integrity.
They have no stake in Kenya and have very little to lose or gain if Kenya collapses or sinks as a nation. It is myopic and childish to claim that western nation has anything to gain or get in Kenya whether Uhuru, Raila or whoever is elected president or not.
Uhuru should embrace the international community and the ICC to prove that he is not irresponsible and that he respect the rule of law.
Making wild allegations and public statements especially in political rallies demeaning and discrediting the international community and ICC is itself criminal and suspect. Such utterances only serve to reinforce the perception that they are inciters and therefore, may be correctly before the ICC.

The writer is the executive director for the Institute for Democracy & Leadership in Africa.
SOURCE:THE STAR