Nairobi Star (Nairobi)
Charles Kerich
1 December 2010
Nairobi — KENYA yesterday implied there was an attempt by the United States to overthrow the government.
In a statement reacting to the imminent release of 1800 diplomatic cables from the US embassy in Nairobi, Government spokesman Dr Alfred Mutua declared, "The government is aware that a lot of money has been allocated to fund the youth to cause an uprising against our country and lead us into turmoil in an attempt to install a new leadership structure." Mutua released the statement as US Under Secretary of State Maria Otero and ambassador Michael Ranneberger met representatives of the National Youth Forum, which consists of over 60 national youth organisations, at the ambassador's residence in Muthaiga, Nairobi.
"The Kenyan government is concerned with foreign attempts to create despondency against the government and the country in the guise of youth empowerment," Mutua's statement declared.
"The Government is monitoring these events keenly and will not allow outsiders to ruin the peace and stability we are enjoying," he stated.
Mutua said the United States had contacted the government to express regret over the cables.
"The US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Johnnie Carson, called our Prime Minister yesterday and apologised for what is expected to come out. The US Government indicated they are sorry for the content in the leaked documents. They however have not told us what the documents say and what exactly they are sorry for," said Mutua.
The leaked reports depict Kenya as "a swamp of flourishing corruption," according to the German magazine Der Spiegel. "Almost every single sentence in the embassy reports speaks with disdain of the government of
President Mwai Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga"
"It is important to make it very clear that Kenya has had a very good relationship with the United States," stated the Government Spokesman.
He added, "We do not know the details of the leaked cables, but if what is reported is true then it is totally malicious and a total misrepresentation of our country and our leaders. We are surprised and shocked by these revelations."
The government statement adds, "It would be premature at this stage for us to comment on the contents of the leaks until we see them. What we know is that true friends should tell you the truth all the time and should not tell you everything is okay on one hand and on the other hand say the opposite or initiate programs against you."
The 1800 Kenyan cables have not yet been released as the Wikileaks website is releasing the 250,000 American diplomatic cables from around the world only bit by bit.
The Kenyan cables are however all from 2005 up until February 2010 apart from one cable from May 1996.
The cables will reveal what the US really thought of the coalition government and the role America played in the disputed December 27, 2007 election.
Following yesterday's meeting with the youth group, Otero underscored the important role the youth in Kenya must play.
"The challenges of a nation are daunting to even the most veteran leaders, among them ending a culture of impunity, mitigating ethic conflict, closing the inequality gap, and promoting development among all Kenyans. But with the future in the hands of these young leaders, I am confident that progress will be made," Otero said in a press statement.
Washington is spending US$47 million in its 'Yes Youth Can!' initiative to empower Kenyan youth to achieve a greater voice in national reform and create new employment opportunities.
It includes a $12 million fund called 'Youth Innovate for Change' to provide young people with capital for investment.
In recent months Ranneberger has travelled around Kenya meeting youth groups.
The US is furious about the Wikileaks which affect 240 American embassies and diplomatic missions around the world.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said yesterday that the leaks were "an attack on the international community" and not just the US.
In the first response to the leaked cables by a senior member of the Obama administration, she said her government "deeply regrets" the release.
A grim-faced Clinton insisted America was taking "aggressive steps to hold responsible those who stole this information".
Other American politicians were much angrier with one even suggesting that WikiLeaks be classified as a terrorist organisation. View the original article here
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