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Kenya’s opposition politicians hurt by US ambassador's remarks on democracy.

17 August, 2023
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Kenya’s opposition politicians have said that they are hurt by the United States ambassador’s "insensitive" comment about Kenya being the most stable democracy in Africa.


Ambassador Meg Whitman made the remark yesterday, during an address to Kenyan leaders, including President William Ruto. According to Whitman, Kenya held what many analysts and commentators say was the freest, fairest and most credible election in Kenyan history.

The elections were deemed inaccurate and unverifiable by the Kenyan opposition, which contested the results in the Supreme Court.

Oburu Odinga, an opposition senator and brother to opposition leader Raila Odinga, said that he was hurt by Ms Whitman’s comments and said it was insensitive of her to praise Kenya’s democracy at a time when the government had criminalized Kenyans' right to demonstrate, picket and assemble. The opposition leaders added that Whitman’s comments could damage ongoing negotiations between the Azimio la Umoja opposition coalition and Kenya Kwanza, the ruling coalition. 

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