Cord condemns ejection of UK diplomats from hotel

The Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (Cord) has condemned the ejection of senior British officials from an Eldoret hotel by County officials.

Cord MPs demanded an explanation from the government over the Thursday incident, saying the action was an embarrassment to Kenya.

They said it was bound to seriously damage Kenya’s relations with Western countries and expose foreign officers to security risks.

The MPs demanded an exposition of Kenya’s foreign relations policy from President Uhuru Kenyatta in the wake of recent happenings.

They accused Uhuru’s government of engaging in systematic efforts to destroy Kenya’s relations with Western nations, particularly Britain.

The minority coalition plans to raise the matter in Parliament next week and wants the National Assembly Committee on Defence and Foreign Relations to take it up.

“Where is this coming from? Is this the new foreign relations policy of the Jubilee Govenrment? We want President Uhuru to come to Parliament and tell us whether Kenya’s foreign policy has changed,” Homa Bay County MP Ms Gladys Wanga said Friday.

Accompanied by Dagoretti North MP Simba Arati and Homa Bay Town MP Mr Peter Kaluma, Ms Wanga said it was Cord’s feeling that the County Deputy Governor Mr Daniel Chemno was acting under instructions.

Mr Chemno stormed Sirikwa Hotel where senior officials of the British High Commission were to hold a day-long meeting with several local civil society groups from the North Rift Region.

He argued that the British officials- Mr Tom Hawe, the Second Secretary in Charge of Political Affairs who was accompanied by the Director of Political Affairs had breached diplomatic protocol by failing to inform county officials of their presence and intention.

UK HIGH COMMISSION RESPONSE

The British High Commission, however, said it sent a Note-Verbale to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs informing it of the visit prior to travelling and separately sought to arrange a meeting with the Governor’s office.

According to the High Commission’s Head of Communication Mr John Bradshaw, the officials later met the Deputy Governor and even members of the County Assembly separately.

In a response to the incident, the High Commission said its officials were on a routine visit to discuss partnerships between Kenya and the UK.

Mr Bradshaw said the officials met different individuals and organisations involved in efforts to build peaceful relations between different communities in the region, including a council of elders, church leaders and peace activists during their visit.

Part of the talks was on a sports tournament being organised by the Kenya Community Sports Foundation next year aimed at promoting reconciliation between the youth in an initiative the UK is helping fund.

The sports tournament will coincide with the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in 2014.

Britain says the tournament offers opportunities for young people in Kenya to participate in sports events and build peaceful relations in the communities.

Despite the incident, the UK said it is a proud partner of Uasin Gishu and Kenya and has a long history of partnership that it wishes to develop even further.

DIPLOMATIC HARRASSMENT

Cord, in condemning the incident termed it ‘diplomatic harassment of the highest order.’

Mr Kaluma said the government should consider the consequences of such actions, arguing that thousands of Kenyans work and study in the UK and other Western countries.

“What will happen to those abroad if we are keen to jeopardise our relations with these countries,” he said. “We must ask very hard questions…let us keep the peace we have enjoyed with these foreign powers” he said.