2007 SPEECHES
Celebration of the 231st Anniversary of the Independence of the United States of America
Speech by Ambassador Michael E. Ranneberger
July 4, 2007
Honorable Minister, Ministers, Colleagues, Guests, and Friends:
I want to extend a very warm welcome to all of you who are here to help us celebrate the 231st anniversary of the independence of the United States of America. Here in Kenya, we are making this event a celebration of the vibrant, strong, and expanding partnership between our two countries. This is fitting because that partnership is based on the democratic values and friendship we share.
Those universal democratic values were immortally articulated by one of our founding fathers, Thomas Jefferson, in the Declaration of Independence: "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."
As we reflect upon this independence anniversary and the partnership we share, I am reminded of the Kenyan proverb: "Nia zikiwa moja kilicho mbali huja (people with similar goals will achieve more from very far).
During the past 231 years Americans have consolidated institutions intended to ensure democratic government of, by, and for the people. The progress we have made over these many years has often been difficult, sometimes painfully slow, and occasionally bloody. Examining this history tells us with certainty that the process of building democracy is never easy and is never complete. To the extent we have been successful, we have benefited from the extraordinary achievement of our founding fathers, for they put in place a constitutional framework based on the principle of checks and balances. That system was based on a hard-headed assessment that, in order to protect the interests of all citizens, the power of any one institution, individual, or group must be limited. Indeed, the challenge to balance respect for the will of the majority with the necessity to protect the rights of minorities is a constant struggle in all democracies.
Among the many things that we share, the United States and Kenya are both communities which encompass great diversity of cultures, ethnic and racial groups, and religions. That diversity enriches and strengthens our nations. The approach of elections in our two countries provides a timely opportunity to reflect upon how we strive to accommodate this diversity and, in so doing, to perfect our democratic systems. Though Americans have had far more time to build our democracy than Kenya has, we can truly say that neither democratic system is perfect. In both countries we struggle to fight corruption, to promote communal harmony, to foster security, and to bring about gender equity.
Acutely aware of our own imperfections, we support the efforts of the Kenyan people to address these difficult challenges, which we also confront. The old Swahili saying that "kila mlango na ufunguo wake" (every door has its own key) means that Kenyans have to solve their problems in their own ways. The Kenyan people have made remarkable progress in recent years, but the work of deepening and broadening democracy and improving governance is never done. As a reliable friend, we will continue to assist your efforts and to support the positive momentum underway.
The United States and Kenya have much to learn from each other. Drawing on our long experience with democracy, we seek to assist Kenya to consolidate its democracy, most importantly this year through inclusive, non-violent, and transparent elections. We hope that there will be very broad participation in Kenya's elections in a way that may, perhaps, inspire Americans, whose participation in even national elections barely rises above fifty percent of registered voters.
Americans and Kenyans also share a belief in the power of the collective spirit, profoundly illustrated by both countries' journeys to independence. I am struck by two Swahili sayings that seem to capture, long before America was founded, a sense of this faith in the will of the people. One says: Penye wengi pana Mungu (Where there are many people, there God is). Another reads: Panapo wengi hapaharibiki neno (where there are many, nothing goes wrong). Ladies and gentlemen, we're many, and we trust that this gathering is blessed.
Please join me in raising our glasses in a toast to the 231st anniversary of the independence of the United States of America, and to Kenya's democratic progress, to the rich partnership between the United States and Kenya, and to the health of Presidents Kibaki and Bush.