Condoleezza Rice is the highest-ranking official from the United States to visit Kenya after the election. United States President George W. Bush was on a six day tour across five nations around Africa. However, Kenya was not one of the designated locations part of Bush’s trip. But, he did address Kenya while he was in Tanzania.
Kenya’s ministers have said that the United States was interfering with the nation’s affairs. However, Rice had dismissed those criticisms. “This is not a matter of dictating a solution to Kenyans,” Rice had said. She had met with President Mwai Kibaki and opposition leader Raila Odinga.
Mwai Kibaki was the incumbent and was reelected into office. Opposition candidate and Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) candidate Raila Odinga and supporters have said the polls were rigged. So far, about 1,000 people were killed in the clashes. Many more were displaced due to fleeing the violence.
The United Nations had deemed it to be one of the worst humanitarian disasters.
Both sides are set to continue talks for a possible power-sharing agreement which will be mediated by Kofi Annan, the former United Nations Secretary General. In the past, Ghana’s President John Kufuor who represented the African Union (AU) attempted to mediate an agreement. However, talks between both sides had broke down prompting Kofi Annan to fly to Kenya.
BBC said that Rice’s visit to Kenya is not expected to produce a deal. So far, Kibaki’s supporters say that he did not have to share power and had won fair and square. But the power-sharing deal could be historical as it could produce the post of prime minister. If that is the case, it is highly likely that Odinga will be elected to that post.
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