Choices have consequences, Kenya should Know


US president Barrack Obama’s continental visit to Africa is significant not only to Africa as a continent but also to the leadership. This is not a new trend to Africa when it comes to US-Africa relations. President Obama is not the first US chief to come to Africa but joins the club of the world leaders who use their state visits to the continent as a tool to foster democracy and bring to an end to the impunity that is grossly protected by our tribal and religious affiliated governments.
But as much as I agree with the US foreign policy, I think there other issues that they should consider to foster a symbiotic kind of relations with the African nations. If I take you back to the Mobutu seseko days in Zaire (now DRC), the US supported the Dictator despite the obvious that they were supposed to foster democracy.
Going with Obama’s history as the president of USA, snubbing Kenya is not a new thing. In his first term as president, he visited Ghana only and ignored Kenya. Analysts then, argued that the Chief was playing politics as he was to seek re election as US president and therefore he feared that the Republicans could use that against him.
I do strongly agree with the US that this may not be the right time for the US president to visit Kenya but I strongly believe that also this is not the right time for the US president to come to Africa. I am forced to believe that this trip was planned to come to congratulate Raila Odinga’s election as president of Kenya but since he was defeated they let Tanzania benefit instead to try and tell Kenyans that choices have consequences.
I know you may disagree with me on that point but that was the entire setting of the entire Africa tour for the world’s most powerful president. Having president Kenyatta as president in Kenya has accosted Kenya huge loss in the traditional markets as the EU stand is that the heads of governments do not have contacts with ICC indictees unless it’s essential and you should not expect a change.
US foreign policy is also anchored on the same issue and therefore the Nairobi government should learn to deal with junior officials until their cases are cleared by the ICC. Some argue that president Kenyatta may turn to the East but I say that we export close to 60% to the EU and the US and the rest is shared.
With kes67.4b budgetary support in a Kes1.674T budget then it means we are supposed to be prepared to go Zimbabwe way. As I see, choices have consequences and Kenyans should be prepared for increased taxations to increase the revenue collections to finance the ambitious Jubilee budget that has a huge misappropriation of priorities.


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