Post by Ed on Sept 22, 2006 21:38:16 GMT 3
Letter To Kenyan Ambassador to the United States
By Barack Obama
Dear Ambassador Ogego,
Thank you for your letter, outlining the concerns of the Government of Kenya on my visit to your country last month. I appreciate hearing from you on this important matter. First, I want to thank you and your colleagues in Government for hosting my visit.
The officials with whom I met were engaging and insightful and, like me, interested in promoting a strong relationship between our two nations.
Moreover, I appreciate the time and energy the Government devoted to ensuring that my visit was a success.
Concerning your letter, under ordinary circumstances, I would happily respond in kind to each point you raise as well as the charges levelled by Dr Alfred Mutua, the Government Spokesperson.
However, because the accusations are so ad hominem and groundless, I feel it would be more productive to simply issue a general response.
I invite you to follow up with me in person or via further correspondence issues that you feel warrant additional attention.
I am disappointed that you believe my speech at the University of Nairobi on August 28 was breach of protocol. This goes against the best traditions of free expression that both of our nations hold so dear.
It also cuts against the advice President Kibaki dispensed during our meeting — that the relationship between the United States and Kenya is so strong that we should simply bring forward issues of concern, rather than let them fester beneath the surface.
Moreover, as a technical matter, it is my understanding that, at the time your letter was issued, you had not yet presented your credentials to President Bush, making your protest a breach of protocol.
But again, we need not concern ourselves with such trivial matters — it is far more constructive to engage in an exchange of ideas than to stand on protocol.
The overwhelming majority of your comments appear to take issue with my speech. Let me say in unequivocal terms that I stand behind every word of my speech at the University of Nairobi.
My speech was a challenge to both our great nations. On the one hand, it challenged my country to formulate a more intelligent and effective foreign policy that better addresses the needs of the Kenyan people.
On the other hand, it called on your country, especially the leaders of all political parties, to make the internal reforms, such as ending corruption and tribalism, needed to bring greater prosperity to the intelligent and hardworking people of Kenya.
As I noted in my speech, Kenya is to be commended for its many accomplishments: A robust democracy, a vibrant civil society and the lack of major ethnic violence.
One has only to look at the uneven early history of the United States, which included the scrapping of the Articles of Confederation and a bloody Civil War, to appreciate the progress Kenya has made to date.
But, if Kenya is to meet the challenges of the 21st Century and satisfy the aspirations of its great people, substantially more progress must be made on the issues of tribalism and corruption.
While you seem to believe that the Government is doing all it can, a number of Kenyan politicians, members of civil society, the media and many "ordinary" Kenyans have told me the exact opposite. Many have welcomed my statements as a much-needed call to action.
I leave it to the people of Kenya — not the Government or any political party — to pass final judgement on the accuracy and utility of my speech.
From Article 98 to agricultural subsidies, I plan on working to shape a more intelligent, effective US foreign policy. I will also continue working with my colleagues in the US Senate to combat corruption, which affects all societies, as I made clear in my speech.
You may have noticed that, during my time in Africa, a controversy in the US developed around a Bill I am pushing to increase the transparency of US Government spending.
For the sake of the Kenyan people, I hope that your Government is willing to make progress on the critical issue of corruption, and on the issue of tribalism as well.
Again, I appreciate this opportunity to exchange views with you. I look forward to more direct discussions concerning these critical issues.
Thank you again for a wonderful and memorable visit.
The writer is the Senator of Illinois State, US. He replied to a letter from Kenyan Ambassador in the US
By Barack Obama
Dear Ambassador Ogego,
Thank you for your letter, outlining the concerns of the Government of Kenya on my visit to your country last month. I appreciate hearing from you on this important matter. First, I want to thank you and your colleagues in Government for hosting my visit.
The officials with whom I met were engaging and insightful and, like me, interested in promoting a strong relationship between our two nations.
Moreover, I appreciate the time and energy the Government devoted to ensuring that my visit was a success.
Concerning your letter, under ordinary circumstances, I would happily respond in kind to each point you raise as well as the charges levelled by Dr Alfred Mutua, the Government Spokesperson.
However, because the accusations are so ad hominem and groundless, I feel it would be more productive to simply issue a general response.
I invite you to follow up with me in person or via further correspondence issues that you feel warrant additional attention.
I am disappointed that you believe my speech at the University of Nairobi on August 28 was breach of protocol. This goes against the best traditions of free expression that both of our nations hold so dear.
It also cuts against the advice President Kibaki dispensed during our meeting — that the relationship between the United States and Kenya is so strong that we should simply bring forward issues of concern, rather than let them fester beneath the surface.
Moreover, as a technical matter, it is my understanding that, at the time your letter was issued, you had not yet presented your credentials to President Bush, making your protest a breach of protocol.
But again, we need not concern ourselves with such trivial matters — it is far more constructive to engage in an exchange of ideas than to stand on protocol.
The overwhelming majority of your comments appear to take issue with my speech. Let me say in unequivocal terms that I stand behind every word of my speech at the University of Nairobi.
My speech was a challenge to both our great nations. On the one hand, it challenged my country to formulate a more intelligent and effective foreign policy that better addresses the needs of the Kenyan people.
On the other hand, it called on your country, especially the leaders of all political parties, to make the internal reforms, such as ending corruption and tribalism, needed to bring greater prosperity to the intelligent and hardworking people of Kenya.
As I noted in my speech, Kenya is to be commended for its many accomplishments: A robust democracy, a vibrant civil society and the lack of major ethnic violence.
One has only to look at the uneven early history of the United States, which included the scrapping of the Articles of Confederation and a bloody Civil War, to appreciate the progress Kenya has made to date.
But, if Kenya is to meet the challenges of the 21st Century and satisfy the aspirations of its great people, substantially more progress must be made on the issues of tribalism and corruption.
While you seem to believe that the Government is doing all it can, a number of Kenyan politicians, members of civil society, the media and many "ordinary" Kenyans have told me the exact opposite. Many have welcomed my statements as a much-needed call to action.
I leave it to the people of Kenya — not the Government or any political party — to pass final judgement on the accuracy and utility of my speech.
From Article 98 to agricultural subsidies, I plan on working to shape a more intelligent, effective US foreign policy. I will also continue working with my colleagues in the US Senate to combat corruption, which affects all societies, as I made clear in my speech.
You may have noticed that, during my time in Africa, a controversy in the US developed around a Bill I am pushing to increase the transparency of US Government spending.
For the sake of the Kenyan people, I hope that your Government is willing to make progress on the critical issue of corruption, and on the issue of tribalism as well.
Again, I appreciate this opportunity to exchange views with you. I look forward to more direct discussions concerning these critical issues.
Thank you again for a wonderful and memorable visit.
The writer is the Senator of Illinois State, US. He replied to a letter from Kenyan Ambassador in the US