I feel let down by Kenyans who have been mourning the refusal of President Obama to visit Kenya. The snub was / is of little significance. Obama’s presidency will change nothing in America’s foreign relations with Kenya.
We forget that American presidents started snubbing us way back in the era of President George Bush Snr. This was when President Moi visited Washington and was reportedly denied audience with the senior Bush.
Then Bill Clinton became president and he came for his African trip in 1998. Despite our known strategic interest to America,he came all the way to Uganda then turned back. Then came George Bush Jnr,who visited Rwanda and Tanzania. We were left out of his itinerary.
I don’t know why we are surprised Obama did not come to Kenya. He is just following well-laid precedence of US presidents to try and intimidate Kenya into a subservient relationship. It matters little that Kenya is the fatherland of the American president.
Instead,we are now turning on our leaders and blaming them for making Obama snub Kenya. I do agree with Obama that Kenya is fraught with corruption and bad leadership,but I wish not to hear it from him.
What I would want to hear from Obama is an apology for the many years America spent propping up dictatorial regimes in Africa. A lot of the problems we have today are from America’s silence while the Kenyatta and Moi regimes destroyed our institutions.
Indeed,it is insulting to Kenya that all these three American presidents have visited Ghana as an indication of their admiration. I beg to differ on that.
Ghana,unlike Kenya,is a country with a history of military dictatorships coming to power through coups — in 1966,1969,1972,1978,1979,1981 and 1983.
Let no one come and trash our democratic credentials; we’re not perfect but we are way ahead of many countries being quoted to us as good examples.
Ghana has had a dictatorial one party system for six years,dictatorial military regimes for 21 years and a multiparty system for 16 years. Not the most stunning example of a good African democracy.
Despite the hypocritical disappointment by Mr Obama,he will continue to inject billions of shillings into our army,intelligence and anti-terrorism police. He will inject nothing in irrigation,industry or Jua Kali. Neither will he cancel any of our crippling debts.
President Obama did not ask the G8 leaders to freeze the billions of dollars held in their countries by corrupt Kenyan politicians and businessmen.
His appreciation of the complexities of world politics is either cynical,hypocritical or shallow. His statements reminded me of his earlier statements on Iran. He sweet talked the Iranian leadership and people and beseeched them for a better relationship.
The Iranian spiritual leader,Ayatollah Ali Khamenei,dismissed the US leader’s overtures and reminded him that America still held Iranian assets worth billions of dollars that were frozen. Any talk of an amiable relationship had thus to begin with America showing goodwill.
We in Kenya also require a show of goodwill. We know our problems. We understand them better. And we know they will not be resolved by the simple solutions he is offering. We need genuine help from people who care.
It is going to take more than good speeches to correct the problems of the world and of Kenya. As St Paul wrote to the Corinthians,even if he speaks in the tongues of men and of angels,and has not love,he is only a resounding gong.
Mr Mwangi is an advocate of the High Court.
paulmwangi@muragemwangi.co.keThe man he thinks he can,and the one who thinks he can't are both right. Which one are you?