We cannot discuss economy, says Nasa

United States ambassador to Kenya Robert Godec’s meeting with National Assembly Minority Leader John Mbadi on Monday last week was intended to be a quiet courtesy call.

The only problem with that desire was that it was not known to parliamentary staff while journalists had been invited to cover it.

It is understood that when Mr Godec’s aide told him about it, he agreed to speak at the end of the meeting but take no questions.

Looking uncomfortable, he would later say: “I just want to ensure I have heard directly from the leaders of this important branch of government on what they want to accomplish and what they are thinking about at this time.”

DIALOGUE

However, Mr Mbadi was more forthright.

He said the ambassador asked the opposition to be more flexible in its demand for dialogue with Jubilee and “electoral justice”.

“His only concern is that both sides seem to be having different versions of what the discussions should take,” Mr Mbadi said.

President Uhuru Kenyatta’s stand has been that any dialogue with the opposition would have to be about development and improving the economy.

“The economic agenda of the country is the economic agenda of the government of the day,” Senate Minority Leader Moses Wetang’ula said after his meeting with Mr Godec.

“It is idle for us to go to sit down with the President and his team to talk about the standard gauge railway or Galana-Kulalu, Thwake dam. Those things must be seen in context.”
COALITION

While there have been reports that the American ambassador could be pushing for a coalition government, the embassy clarified on Tuesday that was not one of its ideas.

“Media reports that ambassador Godec asked for a unity cabinet or pushed for a unity government are wrong. The US continues to be committed to a national conversation involving all Kenyans to build unity, address long-standing issues and resolve divisions exacerbated by the 2017 elections,” the embassy said in a Twitter post.

The apparent lack of interest in dialogue and the divergence of thought between the two political sides have resulted in some within the opposition seeing Mr Godec’s pursuits as a lost cause.

One of the senior figures in the National Super Alliance said the envoy had fallen out of favour because he appeared to support Mr Kenyatta.