2008 Speeches
Remarks by Ambassador Michael Ranneberger Visit to the Rift Valley
March 1-2, 2008
I planned this visit to the Rift Valley before the agreement was signed between President Kibaki and the Honorable Raila Odinga – but I also planned the trip with confidence that a deal would be achieved. I believed this because of the enormous faith I have in the Kenyan people. You and people across this great land made your voices heard that the two leaders must put the interests of the nation first. I commend them both for having done so, but in a very real sense the Kenyan people deserve the most credit for what has been accomplished.
This is my second trip to the Eldoret since the end of December. Assistant Secretary for African Affairs Jendayi Frazer and I came here and to Kisumu on January 8th to see exactly what had happened in the first days of the violence. Like all Kenyans and their friends, we were shocked by the devastation. The presence of Assistant Secretary Frazer in Eldoret testified to our concerns about how the violence was affecting Kenyans here and throughout the country.
The crisis that Kenya experienced during the past two months traumatized people across the ethnic and political spectrum. I know that the people of Rift Valley have been particularly affected by the violence, but many areas throughout Kenya have also suffered. Some of the violence was spontaneous; some of it has been organized by those who seek to exploit young people to advance their selfish political aims, and some amounts to nothing more than hooliganism. There have also been cases of excessive use of force by the police. None of it was justified. Those seeking to arm groups and to plan for further violence must be stopped. And those responsible must be held accountable.
In signing an agreement to work together, Kenya’s leaders have shown the way forward to achieve peace, justice, and reconciliation. Now is the time for all Kenyans to come together to support the agreement so that all Kenyans can enjoy the fruits of economic prosperity, can exercise their democratic rights, and can have access to the educational, health, and other programs that they and their children deserve.
The agreement that was signed was an important first step to help sustain Kenya on its democratic path. The agreement provides an historic opportunity for the Kenyan people to finally address the underlying grievances that have torn the fabric of the nation for far too long. The agenda for institutional reform that the parties are working out -- including constitutional, electoral, and land – provides a blueprint for accelerating development and strengthening institutions so that the trauma of the past two months will never be repeated. Implementation of the agreement and the reform agenda will be a complex, challenging process, but I am confident that your voices and the political will of your leaders will get results.
Americans understand these issues, because we have experienced similar problems. We fought a civil war. One hundred years later, in 1968 when the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King was assassinated, violence erupted in a dozen American cities. Many were killed, much property was damaged, and the U.S. military had to be deployed to restore order. This happened because the assassination unleashed pent-up anger regarding longstanding grievances. Civil rights issues that had lingered since the civil war had never been fully resolved. American rose to the challenge of that crisis by grasping the opportunity to deal with these grievances, redoubling efforts on civil rights and related issues. Today, our country is stronger as a result.
As a strong friend and partner of Kenya, we will help the Kenyan people seize their opportunity to address fundamental grievances and to strengthen institutions. We will do this in part by providing 25 million dollars (1.75 billion KSh). We will work in consultation with Kenyan civil society groups and with the new coalition government to determine how best to employ these funds. Our focus will be on: supporting implementation of the political agreement and the agreed reform agenda; assisting people to resume their livelihoods; helping with reconstruction and the return of displaced people to their homes; and strengthening democratic governance and institutions.
At the same time, we will continue to provide approximately 1 billion KSh in humanitarian assistance for those affected by the violence. We are providing funding to the Kenya Red Cross Society, various U.N. agencies, and numerous non-governmental organizations, including Catholic Relief Services. Our assistance is helping provide food, tents, blankets, clean drinking water, health services, and protection for the displaced.
Rift Valley has been an epicenter of violence during the past two months. Unspeakable things have happened. Yet I challenge the people of Rift Valley to set an example for the nation of peace, dialogue, and reconciliation. I understand this will not be an easy process, but I have faith in the decency and good sense of the Kenyan people. Whether you are a Kalenjin, Luo, Kikuyu, Luhya, Maasai, or a member of one of the other 37 ethnic groups of Kenya, you share certain values of respect for life, of hospitality, of love of family – and, I believe, you share a sense of pride in being Kenyan. Remember that the rich ethnic diversity of Kenya is one of its greatest strengths and offers much to the world. Cherish your values, your unique ways of life, your traditions and cultures, but reach out to one another in a spirit that truly reflects your values. Show Kenyans the way forward. Be an example to the world.