Friday, February 08, 2013

The US tells--nay warns--Kenyans how to vote

Buush, Angry Arab's chief correspondent in Kenya, sent me this:
"The US government has issued stern and direct warning to Kenyans that the choice of person elected president at the March 4 General Election will come with consequences.  In what appeared a laced message to Kenyans about the eight presidential candidates offering themselves to succeed President Kibaki, the US Assistant secretary of State for Africa Affairs Johnnie Carson warned Kenyans to make sure they break with the past.   Carson who is a former US ambassador to Kenya said in a telephone conference with journalists on the upcoming elections that good choices must be made.
Said he: “Kenyans must know that individuals have reputation and images built through their history and must be careful against making choices that might impact negatively on the economy of the nation and the region.”   His message comes just hours after US President Barack Obama said the US has no preferred candidate in Kenya’s presidential race.  Carson however declined to comment if the Obama Administration would impose sanctions on Kenyans if they elected International Criminal Court indictees Uhuru Kenyatta and his running mate William Ruto arguing it would preemptive and hypothetical."