The government Wednesday gave a wide berth to the US
independence celebrations at the US embassy in Nairobi, even as the US
envoy in Nairobi asked for tougher laws on poaching.
At a function in which top government officials
were invited, there was no president, his deputy, cabinet secretary or
principal secretary at the function.
The celebrations came just two days after
President Obama completed his Africa tour without setting foot on his
father’s soil -Kenya.
The Jubilee government sent Senate Speaker Ekwe
Ethuro and a number of junior officials from the Foreign Affairs
Ministry. There were several constitutional Commission heads such as
Charles Nyachae of the Constitutional Implementation Commission (CIC).
There was no immediate explanation on why top government officials skipped the event.
However, Cord leader Raila Odinga and United Democratic Front party leader Musalia Mudavadi were in attendance.
In his recent African tour, President Obama
skipped Kenya in what he argued was because of the ICC cases facing
Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto. But he
promised to visit before his term expires in three years.
Wednesday, despite the glaring absence of the
Jubilee government officials, Speaker Ekwe Ethuro said there would be
something Kenyans would learn from the US’s endurance in their 237 years
of independence.
“We are just 50 years old, but we can learn that there is life after 237 years,” he said.
US Ambassador to Nairobi Robert Godec insisted
that Kenya remains a crucial partner in fighting global threats that
also affect the US.
“It is important to underscore our friendship and
the 50-yar partnership we have had and build on that partnership going
forward,” he said.
Mr Godec said Kenya should have tougher anti-poaching laws in place as a way of taming the vice.
“Yes, I would encourage Kenya to increase the
penalty. I look forward to that happening. It is important to increase
the penalty against poaching,” he said at his residence in Nairobi.
The US recently announced a $3 million (Sh255
million) sponsorship to Kenya in fighting animal poaching and
trafficking. In an Executive order by President Barrack Obama, the US
announced the money last weekend to combat wildlife poaching and to help
Kenya to build institutions to fight the vice that has threatened to
eliminate elephants and rhinos.
Despite the move, Kenya’s laws are still too
lenient to those found in possession of illegal wildlife hides, ivory or
rhino horns. For example, most of those recently found with illegal
ivory have been fined just Sh30, 000 yet a kilo of ivory goes for Sh40,
000 in the black market.
At the US Independence eve Wednesday, Mr Godec
said it would be important for Kenya to have heavier laws, besides
having the financial muscle to combat poaching.
“The threat poaching poses to Kenya and other
countries means it so important to get the penalties in place to deter
poaching, and to put away all those who are responsible for it.”
“Already, I have been very pleased to see the
commitment shown by the government of Kenya and the Kenya wildlife
service and by many civil society organizations and partner governments
including the United States to combat wildlife trafficking.”
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