10/12/2017
Former US Secretary Of State Condolezza Rice Tells Off Ambassador Godec, Supports Raila's Inauguration:
"The problem that the people of Kenya are confronted with today is political. We can not even think for a moment that such a problem will efface itself spontaneously without necessarily having the political leaders sitting down around the table of discourse and ventilate on essentials that the hour demands.
I was in Kenya after the outbreak of the tumultuous events following the bungled 2007 presidential elections. I interacted with various leaders from extreme political parties. I must confess at this point in time, that whatever elicited the 2007-2008 post poll mayhem was not resolved in its entirety. After having settled the then discords, we knew that it wasn’t the ultimate panacea. However, we were optimistic that the political class would deem it necessary to commence discussions on how to recondition the electoral commission. Without any iota of doubt, poorly managed elections have been the recipe of violence in Kenya and other African states.
In the run up for the 2017 presidential elections, indeed there were issues that ought to have been addressed prior to the elections. Due to lack of political goodwill, Kenyans went into the poll with very subtle trust in the electoral body. This led to the invalidation and nullification of the entire process by the apex court.
The issues raised by the opposition and upheld by the Supreme Court of Kenya were weighty and fundamental so to speak. The repeat poll, as ordered by the Court was conducted but this time round, without the aggrieved (who motivated it) participating. This is in itself, a very convoluted matter that can’t be trivialised along the boundaries of the constitution. It transcends beyond what the constitution provides.
The NASA leaders are preparing to swear in their supremo-with the pursuit of people’s Assemby which to me, is provided for in the preamble of the Kenyan constitution. It’s also important to note that millions of Kenyans are in support of this clamour. This idea is premised on the fact that the people have the final say on how they are governed.
The Jubilee formation should actually allow these people to have their way. Maybe this could provide the ultimate solution to what seems to be a perennial problem.”
~Condoleezza Rice- Former US Secretary of State
