US envoy to Kenya defends tenure as he faces backlash

Nairobi. Outgoing American Ambassador to Kenya Robert Godec has defended his five and half-year tenure in Kenya, saying he performed within his ability in a very tense environment.

Speaking during an interview on Radio Jambo on Thursday, Ambassador Godec faced backlash with angry callers accusing him of underperforming and taking sides during the 2017 General Election.

One caller claimed Mr Godec had openly supported Jubilee government, accusing him of inaction when police officers were deployed to opposition zones.

“Nauliza hivi, Ni nani atalipa damu ya watu wetu waliokufa? [I want Mr Godec to tell us, who will compensate us for blood spilt during the elections?]” asked a caller, Veronica Namanda.

Mr Godec said behind the perceived silence, his government was working with the major antagonists during the 2017 General Election and in fact condemned the killings.

He was taken to task on various issues, including that of Miguna Miguna, who was twice deported from Kenya despite High Court judges issuing orders for him to be produced in court and to be facilitated entry into the country.

Mr Godec, however, said he will miss Kenya and the Kenyan spirit of resilience and determination to rise again.

Election

Mr Godec was accused by opposition leaders of pressuring them to concede after the August 8, 2017 presidential election, which was eventually nullified by the Supreme Court.

Mr Godec, along with other western diplomats based in Nairobi, have denied the claim.

Also, opposition supporters accused Mr Godec and other western diplomats of turning a blind eye to the brutality by the police on opposition Nasa supporters after the disputed August 8 and October 26 presidential elections.

In a pointed criticism of the US and other western diplomats, in his speech at Chatham House in London on October 13, Mr Odinga said “many pro-democracy activists are no longer sure they have the support of the West”.

“Many are not clear if it is still the policy of the West to stand only with regimes that promote open, free and fair elections, transparency in management of public affairs, good governance and human rights,” he said, adding that the West was being seen “to be turning its back on democracy by cutting funding, endorsing regimes with dubious records and abandoning democracy activists and civil society all in the name of stability, war on terror and business”. (NMG)