By Justus Atuti
AN OPEN LETTER TO BOB GODEC, US MISSION, NAIROBI, KENYA
As a Kenyan-American, I am very sincerely registering my disappointment on Ambassador Robert Bob Godec as a representative of the US mission in Kenya.
The purpose of the US Mission in Nairobi is clearly defined and contained in their mission statement. Among others, the US diplomatic mission works with the Kenya Government in line with their mission statement to, prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS, promote and strengthen the Kenyan institutes of democracy, promote business relationships between the US and Kenya and also provide consular services.
Kenya underwent a very recent election where the US was represented by the Carter foundation under John Kerry who also acted the team leader of the election observers from the European Union. To the surprise of the majority of Kenyans who felt conned from a free and fair election in exchange for an election that was treachery and inconsistent with the demands of the Kenyan constitution and the institutes of democracy, the Carter Mission and the European Union team of observers praised a bungled election and termed it as FREE, DEMOCRATIC, FAIR AND VERIFIABLE, asking the only man who stood with the frustrated Kenyans to reject the treachery, Raila Odinga, to go to court if he was not happy with the very democratic election Kenya went through on the 8/8/2017. Even one very famous International news station directly accused the unwavering and unbowed Odinga, nicknaming him a perennial loser (though they have since apologized).
The Kenyan Supreme Court, in consistent with the powers anchored in the 2010 constitution, found the election process and results to be wanting after Raila Odinga chose to go to court in line with the democracy and constitutional demands of the land, and infact, in advice from the US Missions office in Nairobi, as opposed to going on the streets. Finally, the Supreme Court of Kenya found the election results fake and sugarcoated, finding it to be lacking merit and constitutionalism and declaring it NULL AND VOID, unilaterally.
On the 09/14/17, I personally addressed Ms Mary Anne Peters, the CEO of The Carter Foundation in Atlanta, America, expressing my disappointment on the real mission of John Kerry and the Carter Foundation on the Kenyan soil, in my letter titled “John Kerry and The August 2017 Kenyan Election”, though Kerry and the mission have since apologized to Kenyans.
The orders from the SCOK were very clear and as a citizen, I am concerned as to why Bob Godec is avoiding it and instead choosing to put one foot in democracy and another in impunity. America is symbol of democracy. America stands for democracy and democracy and nothing less. At minimum, Kenyans too demand for an election beyond reproach. Kenyans are demanding that The European Union and America stops beating by the bush. The supreme court found the Electoral Commission (IEBC) to have committed fraud and hence a crime. At minimum, Kenyans are not interested in an election, just for the sake of it. There are those who committed the crime that led to the election being declared Null and Void by the SCOK. There are those individuals on whose behalf they committed the crime. There are those bodies involved in committing or facilitating the commission or omission. Why are you silent on them, and why are you pushing Kenyans to hold an election under the same individuals?
At the minimum, Kenyans demand that the servers be opened to expose the degree of the rot. Kenyans demand Chebukati, Chiloba and all the electoral body to face the full force of the law and stop pretending that they want to lead Kenya into a free and fair election. They were unable to do the same on 8/8/17. Let them stop pretending that they will this time round. It is at this minimum that Kenyans will finally be ready for an election, no matter how long this takes. We are ready to be patient. We respect the independence of institutions, but the leaders and members of the same institutions must carry responsibility.
As a people, we have witnessed, as you and your office, plus the international community have, a rogue presidency and a parliament, who seem to be against a credible, free, fair and verifiable election. We have a constitution and no one, not Raila Odinga, not Uhuru Kenyatta, not an institution will pretend to be above it. America seeks to strengthen democracy and the independence of institutions in Kenya, and as citizens, we get really concerned when the Ambassador himself cannot define where he stands in terms of democracy, independence and accountability. Democracy without accountability is both lethal and worthless.
Let it be known to your office, as you seek for a level ground for both sides, that, Kenyans are not ready for another mockery of democracy in the purported name of constitutional timelines, and therefore not ready for an election that’s below accountability. We have no reasons as to why we will not appeal to the president of the United States, President Trump, to recall Amb. Godec and replace him with one willing to nurture our young democracy as a nation, and one who does not stand on the fence at the expense of the same democracy while our nation risks plunging into anarchy and lawlessness.
Justus Atuti
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