Raila Odinga has accused President William Ruto's administration of sabotaging diplomatic relations between Kenya and the East African Community (EAC).
Odinga noted the recent inability of EAC leaders to grace the Jamhuri Day celebrations held at Uhuru Gardens last week in a statement issued on Tuesday, stating that the leaders avoided the event owing to the alleged quarrel generated by the Kenya Kwanza administration.
Odinga accused the present leadership of undermining existing EAC connections through a series of gaffes, the most recent of which is a court dispute with Uganda and contentious remarks by Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen against Rwanda.
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“None of our neighbouring EAC countries were represented at the level of President, Vice President or Prime Minister as would have been expected in such a significant occasion that has been the tradition until we have taken it for granted,” he stated.
“We must tell Kenyans that our neighbors are not to blame for this negative development in our relationship. At the center of the continuing damage of our relationship in EAC is the unbridled greed and corruption as practiced by the Kenya Kwanza Ruto government and the arrogance and foul mouth that has come with it.” he added.
Raila mentioned the Ugandan government's recent lawsuit against Kenya for imposing tariffs on petroleum products transiting through the Port of Mombasa.
According to Odinga, Uganda is a landlocked country. Therefore, as recognized by international treaties, Kenya should enable the free flow of goods.
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“Uganda has been forced to go to the High Court in Kenya through its Uganda Petroleum Company to challenge a formula instigated by the Kenya Kwanza cartel that forces the sovereign state of Uganda to have its petroleum products transiting through Kenya to pay a "middleman" fee,” he noted.
“The actions of the Kenya Kwanza cartel undermine the letter and the spirit of the EAC treaty. To waylay our land-locked neighbors who have used Kenya as their preferred route for import and export may hurt the neighbors now, but Kenya will pay the price in the long run.”
Odinga added: “Uganda has been forced to seek a different route through Dar-es-salaam and the other EAC countries will follow suit and Kenya will be the looser eventually. For example, the long-distance haulage industry will collapse and Kenyan businesses will have to close down. More people will lose jobs. We don't think that our girls being employed as maids in the Middle Eastern countries will be able to bridge such a gap.”
