FORA defends Raila Odinga’s trip to US
Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga at a function on February 15, 2014. He is in the US for a month-long visit. PHOTO/JACOB OWITI
What you need to know:
- The former PM is in the US alongside Prime Minister Frederick Sumaye of Tanzania on invitation of the APC
- Mr Gitari is seeking answers from National Assembly Majority Leader Aden Duale on Mr Odinga’s visit
USA
Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s supporters in the US and Canada under the Friends of Raila (FORA) lobby group have defended his trip after an MP raised the issue in Parliament.
Fora termed Kirinyaga Central MP Joseph Gitari’s suggestion that the Government should explain the month-long tour of the US by the CORD leader as an attempt by the Jubilee coalition to revert to the Kanu dictatorship days.
“That a Kenyan MP is petitioning Parliament to explain why Raila Odinga is in the US to promote Kenya is not right,” said Gordon Teti of Toronto Canada.
Mr Gitari is seeking answers from National Assembly Majority Leader Aden Duale on Mr Odinga’s visit, which is being coordinated by the African Presidential Centre (APC) at the Boston University in Boston, Massachusetts.
The Kirinyaga lawmaker was concerned that the Boston programme is meant only for formerly democratically elected heads of State who have since retired from active politics.
He said Mr Odinga has never been head of State and only shared power with Mwai Kibaki under the coalition Government, so he does not qualify for the programme.
He wants the Leader of Majority to clarify the status that qualified the former Prime Minister to attend the Boston University-based programme for former democratically elected heads of State.
The former PM is in the US alongside Prime Minister Frederick Sumaye of Tanzania on invitation of the APC to engage political, business, academic and public sector leaders on Africa’s relation to the world.
Mr Teti said while some ignorant individuals in Kenya were questioning why Mr Odinga is promoting the image of Kenya abroad, Tanzanians are praising and applauding Mr Sumaye for doing exactly that for their country.
“When will Kenyans realise that Kenya is bigger than one individual or tribe? It is such thinking by those in the present Government of Kenya that make so many of us worried that KANU dictatorship is creeping back,” said Mr Teti.
Contacted for comment, Mr Odinga’s handlers in the US told the Nation that the former PM will respond to the MP's concerns in due course.
