Kenya hits back at US graft claims
Government spokesman Alfred Mutua has said leaked reports from US describing it as a “swamp of corruption” are "totally malicious and a total misrepresentation of our country and our leaders" November 30, 2010. FILE
Kenya has reacted angrily at leaked reports from US describing it as corrupt and accused unnamed foreign powers of spending Sh1.6 billion to destabilise the government.
Government spokesman Dr Alfred Mutua termed leaked reports attributed to the US embassy in Nairobi describing Kenya as a “swamp of flourishing corruption” as “totally malicious and a total misrepresentation of our country and our leaders".
“We are surprised and shocked by these revelations,” Dr Mutua said at a press conference Tuesday.
He said that the US had alerted Kenya beforehand of the expected release of the leaked documents touching on the country through US assistant secretary of State for African Affairs, Johnny Carson who had contacted Prime Minister Raila Odinga on Monday afternoon.
“The US assistant secretary of state for African Affairs, Johnny Carson called our Prime Minister yesterday (Monday) and apologised for what is expected to come out,” Dr Mutua said.
“The US government indicated they are sorry for the content in the leaked documents,” he added.
He, however, stated that Mr Carson had not told Mr Odinga the contents of the leaked documents and what the US government was exactly sorry about.
Dr Mutua fell short of directly accusing the US of funding a campaign to cause unrest in the country with a view to toppling the grand coalition government.
He claimed that the “foreign powers” behind the plot to topple the government had channelled in excess of US$ 20 million (Sh1.6 billion) to youth groups in the country over the last few months.
“The Kenyan Government is concerned with foreign attempts to create despondency against the government and the country in the guise of youth empowerment,” he said.
“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,” he went on.
He added that the government was monitoring the issue “keenly” and will not allow “outsiders” to ruin the peace and stability in the country.
