Keep Your Mouth Shut – Raila Tells US Envoy Whitman Over Remarks on 2022 Polls

Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Alliance coalition party leader Raila Odinga has hit out at US ambassador to Kenya Meg Whitman over her “free and fair” 2022 elections remarks.

Speaking at the Devolution Conference on Thursday, the former prime minister told the envoy to keep off Kenya’s affairs or risk being recalled.

Raila said Kenya should be allowed to handle her issues without foreign interference.

“Tell the rogue ambassador Kenya is not the United States. Kenya is not a colony of the United States. Keep your mouth shut while you are here. Otherwise, we will call for your recall back to your country,” he said.

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In her opening remarks at the conference on Wednesday, Whitman said last year’s polls that saw William Ruto emerge victorious, were the most credible in Kenya’s history.

She noted that the unanimous Supreme Court ruling affirmed the credibility of the polls that were held on August 9, 2022.

“I arrived in Kenya days before the general election, and what I witnessed was short of remarkable,” she said amid applause.

“The election was observed by local and international election organisations and the results were upheld by the Kenyan Supreme Court and power was transferred orderly and peacefully at the time.”

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Whitman also wowed the crowd with her “investment pitch” as she praised President Ruto for implementing measures to improve the business environment through new taxation policies, among other measures.

“There is something happening here. Kenya is open for business, the government has implemented measures to open Kenya for business,” she said.

“There are many reasons why many global firms should consider Kenya. What are your priorities, what is your sales pitch?” she posed.

“America is used to doing business in Europe and Asia. I encourage taking this presentation and telling the story: why Africa, why Kenya, why your county? You should answer the question.”