Tuesday, April 4, 2023 – Delaware Senator Chris Coons finally revealed details of his meeting with former President Uhuru Kenyatta, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, which solved political unrest in the country.
In a statement yesterday, Coons stated that during his talks with Kenyan leaders, he encouraged the Opposition and the President to find a path forward on the IEBC that would recognise the role of strong, effective Opposition in a multiparty system.
He expressed his satisfaction with the move by President William Ruto to call for dialogue with Raila, noting that it was after the discussions that the Head of State committed to addressing concerns about the IEBC and negotiating a path forward.
Further, the Senator noted that U.S. Ambassador to Kenya Meg Whitman joined him in all the discussions.
“Ruto committed to addressing concerns about the IEBC and negotiating a path forward for Azimio to serve as an effective Opposition.
“Odinga welcomed Ruto’s outreach and agreed to suspend planned demonstrations for the coming week. Senator Coons expressed his gratitude to all parties and his belief that to preserve and strengthen democracy,” read a brief on his website detailing his travel to Kenya.
Coons compared the political situation in Kenya with the democracy in America noting that it had also experienced many challenges, including disputes about election results and post-election violence.
“I urged Odinga and leaders of the Azimio political alliance to address their concerns through legal pathways and ensure their supporters protest peacefully.
“Continuing to uphold the rule of law and avoiding ongoing political violence will be critical to Kenya’s economic growth and opportunities,” he added.
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