As the dust settles following divisive electioneering period, a new battlefront between President William Ruto and Opposition leader Raila Odinga is shaping up on Kenya’s foreign policy. Should the country lean towards the West or look East?
The US, usually represents the West, while East is largely China. And for the second time in less than 100 days, President Ruto on Monday flew to the United States for the US-African leaders summit at a time his government has made a huge turn from the direction his predecessors Uhuru Kenyatta and the late Mwai Kibaki’s administrations had taken.
A month after his swearing in, president Ruto has visited the US, United Kingdom and recently travelled to South Korea, which is in the East, but an ally of the West. Three weeks ago, Raila accused President Ruto of being the puppet of the West meaning the US and Europe on issues such as importation of 10 million bags of maize including those grown as Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwyYSNJ2KNE
The labelling of Ruto as the West’s political protege was not the first time by Raila. Speaking weeks after President Ruto was sworn in during the launch of Oduor Ong’wen’s book ‘Stronger than Faith,’ Raila accused Western countries of conspiring to rig him out of the August presidential elections and sabotaging the will of the people to elect a leader of their choice.
Raila noted that the West was opposed to African liberation and freedom since independence and therefore the international capital monopoly prevented a legitimate democratic African leader from assuming power, to hinder change.
“They hailed the chairman of IEBC as a hero when he announced the results. From independence right through, there have been two forces pulling in opposite directions in our country; the forces of retention of the status quo versus the forces for change and development,” he explained.
His political associates were more categorical, with Dr Ong’wen asserting that insiders from the US and Britain were allegedly involved in skewing the electoral process to deny Azimio camp victory.
“Our election was not stolen by Kenya Kwanza. It was an international conspiracy involving Britain and the United States. A former US president who many Kenyans admired greatly was on Smartmatic board,” he claimed.
Azimio co-principal and Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka claimed there was a foreign hand in the election.
“Nchi yetu imetekwa nyara na watu wasiokuwa Wakenya (Our country has been held hostage by foreigners),” Kalonzo said, alluding to a later piece of evidence that Azimio intended to display in court.
REMAIN NEUTRAL
“Some foreign missions have taken sides. They must remain neutral and they should know Kenya is for Kenyans. We shall not compromise our sovereignty.”
The alleged assault on the West by Raila and his allies is a covert foreign policy and political war that has captured Kenya’s Kwanza government and Azimio. Winnie Odinga has also claimed Western countries were used to influence the outcome of the August polls. In an interview with Citizen TV, Winnie accused the US of constantly interfering in the country’s political affairs for selfish interests.
“The Western nations have treated us like a play station where they do their virtual reality games. They have turned Kenya into their appendage,” said Winnie.
President Ruto visited South Korea at a time when they have a maritime dispute between China and South Korea, on the Socotra rock, an indicator that he is keenly courting alternative international development partners away from his predecessors.
His engagement with China has been minimal. On September 12th, he met with a Chinese delegation that attended his inauguration, and also met with China Ambassador Zhou Pingjian once, on October 18 this year. Since then, there has been no activity with the country in which Kenya owes much of its debt.
In his less than three months in office, the President met UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on the sidelines of the COP27 conference in Egypt where the British leader pledged Sh6b investment deals. Two weeks ago, Ruto commissioned the Railways City project that will be constructed together with the UK government at a cost of Sh30b.
His Deputy Rigathi Gachagua and Foreign and Diaspora Affairs Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua have also held a number of meetings on bilateral ties.
In the past, Uhuru and Kibaki administrations dealt largely with the Chinese government, which led to over Sh800 billion loans to the country. The key one is the Sh500 billion Standard Gauge Railway (SGR).
Other huge investments from looking ‘Look East’ policy include infrastructure projects such as Thika Superhighway and the 27km Nairobi Expressway.
President Ruto has ordered investigations into the SGR after allegations that Kenya’s biggest port, Mombasa Port had been used as security for construction of the SGR.
While in South Korea, President Ruto said Kenya will engage the South Korean government to unlock opportunities in technology, trade, investment and maritime operations.
“We have about 300 Kenyans in South Korea, the next time I come to South Korea I hope we will have 10,000 Kenyan youth working here,” he said.
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