US agency accused of subversion

Kenya has accused a US development agency of planning to destabilise the government by sponsoring street demonstrations across the country.

The National Security Advisory Committee (NSAC) Thursday said it has ordered the Foreign Affairs ministry to summon the US Agency for International Development (USAid) over the claims, which, they said, are backed by credible intelligence documents.

The NSAC, Kenya’s top security agency, made the order in a statement dated February 12 signed by Secretary to the Cabinet Francis Kimemia who also chairs the committee.

The difference between Kenya and her major international partner emerged even as President Barack Obama prepares to host African heads of State in Washington in August.

Forty-seven leaders, mostly from sub-Sahara Africa, including Kenya’s President Kenyatta have been invited to attend a conference.

The order emerged on the day police dispersed a demonstration by a lobby group in Nairobi called to protest what the activists called Jubilee’s poor leadership.

But the US described the allegations as false, reiterating that its 50-year partnership with Kenya is as strong as ever.

“Reflecting the US commitment to our partnership, we work with the Kenyan government and civil society throughout the country on security, health, education, conflict prevention, agriculture, and in many other areas,” the US government said in statement sent to newsrooms by its Nairobi embassy.

The American government described USAid as an organisation being run on a basis of transparency and in clear collaboration with the Kenyan government.

Mr Kimemia said in the statement that the US aid agency officials be summoned to give more information over plans “to topple the government using activists.” The statement says NSAC is in possession of credible intelligence documents and information to support the claim.

The documents are said to contain information detailing how USAid has been funding demonstrations.

It was unclear how many organisations have benefited from the US agency funding to hold demonstrations against the government.

An unnamed clergyman has also been accused of working with the agency to facilitate activities meant to undermine the government.

“The consistent plans to destabilise the current Government will not be tolerated at any costs, especially where activists are sustainably bribed to tarnish the country’s and leaders’ reputation regionally and internationally,” Mr Kimemia said in the statement.

A few weeks ago Deputy President William Ruto’s lawyer Karim Khan claimed that former US ambassador to Kenya, Mr Michael Ranneberger, was part of the plot by some Western diplomats to fix Mr Ruto.

Additional reporting by Xinhua