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Uhuru Kenyatta: From pariah to a darling of the West

 

President Uhuru Kenyatta came into power while facing crimes against humanity charges at the International Criminal Court, which meant the West kept him at arm’s length.

But President Kenyatta would charm his way into the international scene by morphing from a near-pariah to a darling of the Western powers, hobnobbing with world leaders at global conferences and assuming major regional roles.

In the run-up to the 2013 elections, then US Assistant Secretary of State Johnnie Carson warned Kenyan voters that “choices have consequences” in reference to electing Mr Kenyatta and his  running mate William Ruto over the charges related to the 2007/08 post-election violence.

‘Choices have consequences’

“We as the United States do not have a candidate or a choice in the elections. However, choices have consequences; we live in an interconnected world and people should be thoughtful about the impact their choices have on their nation, economy region and the world,” he added.

In December 2014, then ICC Chief Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda withdrew the charges against the President, freeing him from the yoke that had dented his reputation on the international scene.

He went on to be hosted by his counterparts in the United Kingdom and United States, among other superpowers  that had shunned him, opening a new chapter in his presidency that saw him make frequent overseas trips to either represent Kenya or the region.

Hosted by Barack Obama

President Kenyatta was first hosted by former US President Barack Obama in August 2014, way before his ICC cases were dropped. He would later host President Obama in 2015. Both ex-President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden have hosted President Kenyatta at the White House.

During his tenure, President Kenyatta also held talks on several occasions with Queen Elizabeth II, and former UK Prime Ministers Theresa May and Boris Johnson in efforts to improve ties between Nairobi and London.

International relations experts hold that the West had to re-evaluate their position to maintain ties with Kenya, a very strategic partner in the region.

President Donald Trump and Uhuru Kenyatta

Former US President Donald Trump listens to President Uhuru Kenyatta at the White House on August 27, 2018 in Washington, DC.

File | Nation Media Group

They describe President Kenyatta as warm and charming, attributes that made him gel well with other heads of state.

“Once he was sworn as the President, the western countries had to deal with him; and when they met him, they found him charming,” says Prof Macharia Munene, a professor of History and International Relations at United States International University - Africa.

“His charm and ability to engage is something that attracts people ... with time, he was able to win over his critics,” he states.

Rebellion against the West

Ambassador Patrick Simiyu Wamoto, says that Carson’s remarks and the ICC intervention triggered rebellion against the West’s perceived influence in Kenyan politics.

“The West quickly realised that a diplomatic fumble could damage long-standing ties with a nation that had long been a bastion of peace and stability in a very strategic yet restive region,” says Amb Wamoto.

He says Washington and London could not afford to shun Kenya in its international engagements due to the immense security and business interests.

Dr Duncan Ojwang’, Nazarene University’s law school dean, says changes in geopolitics and geostrategy put Mr Kenyatta at the core of global engagements. He observes that the Gulf countries’ aggressive entry into the region could not be ignored.

In 2018, President Kenyatta had a meeting with President Trump to drum up support for increased American investment, trade and partnership with Kenya. The engagement pointed to Kenya’s significant role in the East Africa region.     BY DAILY NATION     

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