US Declines to Give its Position on Raila's Rigging Claims

A US State Department senior Africa official failed to give the position of United States on National Super Alliance (NASA) leader Raila Odinga's claims of rigging in Kenya's presidential election.

Speaking to the media, Donald Yamamoto, the acting Assistant Secretary of State for Africa, confirmed he held discussions with Raila Odinga but refused to disclose details of the meeting.

“That conversation — we can't go into great detail,” Mr Yamamoto replied to a question regarding the US' say of the Nasa leader's complaints.

Yamamoto further pointed out that both President Uhuru Kenyatta and Odinga “have stated there are issues where they need reform of the electoral process.”

Regarding democracy in Kenya, he said:“It is a work in progress,” Mr “It is something we will continue to focus on.”

He added: “The US remains firmly committed to moving the democratic process forward not just in Kenya but across the continent.”

Raila is currently on a one week tour to the US and is expected back in the country on Friday. In his speech at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, DC on Thursday Raila asked US and other Western powers to help Kenya come out of the current political crisis surrounding presidential elections.

"I have come to Washington to convey a simple message we need a much fuller engagement from the many arms of governance that your country possesses to assist the envoys based in Nairobi. The envoys’ efforts up to now have not succeeded in defusing the crisis, but let me be blunt again, they have sometimes contributed to the problem."

Raila has held meetings with different US government and civil society officials.