Raila Speaks from the US, Asks for Help to Save Kenya from Current Crisis

National Super Alliance (NASA) leader Raila Odinga has asked the US and other Western nations to help Kenya come out of the current political crisis.

Speaking at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) Headquarters in Washington DC on Thursday, Raila said there is still hope to save the country. "I have come to Washington to convey a very simple message. We need engagement with many arms of government (US) to help find solutions to the problems Kenya is facing because I am convinced that all is not lost. Kenyans are asking for a fresh and credible election."

Raila took a jab at the international community and accused it of abandoning Kenya in its quest of holding a credible election. He said US and other democratic countries approved a "deeply tainted election".

"Kenya is heading towards being axed into dictatorship and your envoys have not succeeded in making things better," he said. "Let me blunt again...envoys have sometimes contributed to the problem. IEBC said it could not guarantee credibility of polls but envoys in Nairobi said 'proceed'."

He added: "The west created leaders such as Mobutu Sese Seko because they cared only about fighting communism during the cold war. Now they will support anyone as long as they support the fight against extremism and terrorism," he said.

Raila decried attacks on the Judiciary and attempts by the state to take control of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC). "After the bodyguard of the Supreme Court's Deputy Chief Justice was shot, the other judges did not feel safe and their request for enhanced security was declined. This led to lack of quorum in a ruling that would have probably stopped the election," he noted.

"IEBC was undermined before the election and the judiciary fell under attack after CJ David Maraga nullified [Uhuru's] election. This was a trend-setting decision in Africa and other continents."

He lamented that Kenyans from the minority communities are increasingly getting frustrated by the dominance of two communities, who have held the presidency since Kenya got independence 55 years ago. He said this was the reason secession debate was gathering pace in Kenya.

“When you start hearing people talking about secession, of wanting out of project Kenya, it means there is something wrong. Unless the issues are addressed, they will tear the country apart,” said Odinga.

“All of this progress is been imperiled by our current crisis triggered by the third straight rigged elections. The regime wants to hold on to power… let me be blunt, Kenya is hurtling towards an outright dictatorship, the Jubilee government has looted every institution in order to achieve goal of long-term control of the state to at least 2032.”