Council of Professionals of Kenya Accuses US of Hypocrisy over Kenya's Elections

A lobby group led by former Budalangi MP Ababu Namwamba has criticized the United States over its position on Kenya's elections.

In a statement, the Council of Professionals of Kenya (CPK) condemned the US for calling for dialogue between opposition chief Raila and President Uhuru.

CPK said that it was hypocritical for US to push for dialogue between the two leaders, when no talks were held after Trump’s disputed November 2016 victory over Hillary Clinton.

“The council takes a great exception towards the statement by US and condemns it with the weight of the inherent duplicity” said Ababu Namwamba, lobby group's chairman.

In a written statement, the US government congratulated President Kenyatta and deputy President William Ruto for their reelection, but urged him to hold dialogue with the opposition leader, who has vowed not to recognize Uhuru's presidency.

"We urge Kenyans to join together to hold an immediate, sustained, and open national conversation to heal divisions between communities...We encourage all Kenyans to come together at this critical moment and to work together peacefully and uphold the constitution,” the statement read.

Ababu's lobby urged Raila and the opposition to move on and strategize for the 2022 general elections.

“Kenya’s 2017 electoral process in done and dusted and the council wishes to bring to the attention of the world that Raila Odinga is on to the 2022 cycle while disguising it as pending issue. ODM must pursue that agenda peacefully as a morphs from 2017 to the 2022 election” added Namwamba.