Rob Macaire

Commonwealth Conversation - Kenya

2009-11-02T10:57:21+00:00

Last week we held the local edition of the global conversation on the Commonwealth that I mentioned in my last blog. Here are some notes that I took of the event;

Many people still associate the Commonwealth with Britain and believe that membership should allow free visa travel to the UK and other Commonwealth countries. There was quite a lot of awareness on specific areas of Commonwealth activity such as Commonwealth games, Scholarship programmes, media training and coordination on legal systems.

There was a feeling that the Commonwealth could do more in exerting pressure on rights issues and constitution building in Kenya. One of the audience commented that the Secretariat should be given more power to address issues to do with Member states.

An overwhelming conclusion was that more needed to be done to promote Commonwealth and raise awareness on the activities been carried out.

I urge you to look at the website of this global conversation which has thrown up some lively debate

BLOG ACTION DAY 2009 - CLIMATE CHANGE

2009-10-15T13:11:46+01:00

Today is Blog Action Day, with bloggers around the world writing about climate change, from thousands of different perspectives.

Writing here in Nairobi, it's particularly topical. Parliamentarians from around Africa have just been meeting here, and have made very clear that they want African voices to be heard more strongly in the debate, as the negotiations intensify in the run-up to the Copenhagen conference in December.

And tomorrow, together with representatives from the Government of Kenya and UNEP, I will be taking part in an event highlighting a ground-breaking research and communication initiative called 'Africa Talks Climate'.

Run by the British Council and the BBC World Service Trust, this work is founded on the belief that those worst affected must be better informed in order to understand and effectively respond to their changing climate. Discussions were held with over 1000 citizens from countries across Africa, and interviews carried out with policymakers, religious leaders, business people and the media.

These two events show two different aspects of the climate change debate. On the one hand, the importance of countries that are vulnerable to climate change having a full say, and being clear about their priorities and needs. A remark made repeatedly at the MPs' meeting here this week has been that developed countries, who have historically produced most emissions, need to support developing countries, both in coping with and acting on climate change. That must be right, and the UK believes that a high priority for Copenhagen will be to put in place finance needed by developing countries for both mitigation and adaptation. And of course developed nations must set ambitious and binding targets for emission reductions.

But the the other interesting thing for me is that the Africa Talks Climate project shows that people most affected, here in Kenya, actually need better information about what climate change is and what it means. When this research is published after tomorrow's launch, I will put a link up on this blog.

UK, Kenya and the International Community

2009-10-06T05:08:57+01:00

A crucial time for Kenya. The EU, in the company of many other countries issued a statement on Friday expressing concern that nothing has been done to attack impunity for the post-election violence: neither a special tribunal nor referral to the International Criminal Court. The ICC prosecutor issued an important statement a day earlier, supporting what he called a 'three pronged' approach to those crimes: ICC, a special tribunal, and the TJRC to tackle historical issues and reconciliation at community level. Now Kofi Annan , on behalf of the African Union, has arrived in Kenya for talks with the two Principals and others. All this coming hard on the heels of some tough, and well-chosen, words from the Obama Administration about the urgency of reforms and the responsibility of politicians and officials to act swiftly on them. There's a strong sense of unanimity among the international community, and it echoes what is being heard far more loudly from Kenyan voices. My impression from all this is that the Kenyan people aren't willing to accept 'business as usual', particularly when that makes the chances of a repeat of last year's violence more likely. While reconciliation is vital, I can't think of any country in the world where reconciliation has been achieved by deciding to allow people to get away scot-free with the use of violence for political ends on a massive scale. Meanwhile Agenda 4 remains largely in the realms of commissions and recommendations, with Kenyans waiting anxiously for the key actions to be taken.
[ends]

SOMALIA, KENYA, AND THE UK

2009-09-25T06:32:00+01:00

I am just back from Addis Ababa, where I have had the chance to discuss with my colleagues from here and London, and also with the Ethiopian government, some regional problems including Somalia. I spend a great deal of my time on Somalia. But the situation in the country remains desperate, and there is a long way to go before Somalis can look forward to a more normal, stable existence.

Kenyans tell me that they are increasingly concerned about the problems that instability in Somalia brings over the border: refugees, small arms, all manner of threats. People complain that money from piracy is behind the price of housing in Nairobi! I am not so sure the arithmetic stands up for that claim, but there is no doubt that people here are directly affected by the situation in Somalia. Actually, so is the UK. With one of the largest Somali diasporas in the world, we have a direct interest in helping to resolve the ongoing crisis in that country.

That’s why we put money into both humanitarian and development assistance; support the AU force who are courageously defending the capital from rebels, and taking casualties from terrorist attacks (AMISOM); work with our EU and other partners to support political moves towards stability; and back the Transitional Federal Government both diplomatically and practically. One of the allegations I have little time for is people in the region saying that the international community “must do more” on Somalia. It’s right up near the top of our international priorities. But one thing we’ve learnt over the painful years since Siad Barre was overthrown in 1991 is that the outside world can easily do more harm than good by intervening. The whole world needs to be resolute in supporting the widely-recognised government in the face of attacks from extremists. But I believe that Somalis, not foreigners, will be the ones to bring eventual peace and development to their country.

But from the perspective my posting here in Kenya, I sense a bit of a danger that people will indiscriminately blame the Somalis living in Kenya (and even Kenyan Somalis) for the threats coming from over the border. I'd be interested in any comments on that - especially if you are a Kenyan Somali or refugee.

UK and KENYA: CONFLICT AND SPORT

2009-09-24T05:28:00+01:00

I spent the weekend at an extraordinary event, the Laikipia Highland Games. Although I don't usually blog about what I have been up to, this event was very topical to what is making headlines in the country. It took place not far from where a brutal armed attack had left over 30 people dead less than a week before, in the latest round of bitter fighting between pastoralist communities in that area. So it was impressive to see an event that was bringing those very communities together through sport, and to see teams from Samburu, Pokot, Njemps and other communities putting their hearts into athletics and traditional tribal sports at a day dedicated to peace-building. The noted conservationist Kuki Gallman is the moving inspiration behind this event, and I commend her efforts.

But although these initiatives are tremendously important at a community level, the conflicts are too deep and complicated to be resolved that easily. The state needs to do more. For example, while we were in Laikipia for these Games, there was a heavy Administration Police presence. It was very welcome. But it is a temporary measure, and what will happen when they leave? Even while we were there, the AP presence didn't stop a gang armed with AK47s being spotted nearby. And poaching continues to be a serious problem: we saw an injured elephant by the side of the road; three hours later when we came back it was dead, with its tusks cut out.

But nevertheless this was an important initiative, and I was glad that the British High Commission was able to support it. In fact, part of our support was to offer sponsorship to one of the winners, an impressive sprinter and long-jumper called Jacob Kurere, to go to Kip Keino's high altitude training camp. Nothing would make me happier than for someone like him to go on and make the Kenyan team competing at the London Olympics in 2012. Sport retains its ability to reach everyone, and to motivate whole communities. And in Kenya, there are ways it can be used to break down conflicts between communities, be it youths in Nairobi slums playing football or pastoralist warriors joining events like the Highland Games. We'll continue to support that sort of initiative.

Kenya and UK: Some thoughts on police reform

2009-09-18T07:36:12+01:00

Many countries, Britain included, have reached moments when reform in the police service has become a pressing need. My sense is that Kenya is at one of those moments now.   Security is a real issue. Those of us who live in Nairobi are acutely aware of violent crime. In recent weeks I have heard at first hand from people in Central province, in Laikipia and Isiolo, in Mombasa, and in Kisii about the crime problems they face. And those are just the places I have been. It's one of the issues that regularly comes at the top of opinion polling about people's concerns, and of course it remains a central element of the reform agenda.

We have been giving targeted support to improve the police's capacity in areas like forensics and crisis management work which are critical for security in Kenya. But I'm also glad that we have been able to help provide some practical support to the police reform task force itself. We've done this, at the request of the Kenyan Government, by providing funding for quality international expertise to the task force - a technical police adviser, local expertise, the South African deputy chair and help with understanding oversight mechanisms. We are also supporting civil society to campaign for reform. .

The task force has produced its interim report and is due to complete its work soon. Some have been sceptical, labelling it as "yet another commission"- we certainly won't be providing large scale support until we see evidence of real will to change policing culture.    But let's judge by results    I think there is a pretty strong appetite for serious reform of the police across the political spectrum , and amongst police personnel themselves. We'll be very interested to see how the recommendations are taken forward. There has now been a shake-up at the top of the police, which is usually a precondition for far-reaching reform in any institution. So let's see.

However, I really hope that such moves are not seen as an attack on the Kenyan police.   We all know that they do an almost impossible job, in dangerous circumstances, with very limited resources. Police reform should be about boosting their ability to do their job, with Government investing more in policing and providing the men and women who risk their lives with a fair welfare and promotion package. And a central ingredient in that is changing the relationship between the citizen and the security forces. If the police are trusted by the public, they will have a cooperative environment to work in. Many countries have found that to be the key in effective police reform.   Part of that is indeed about accountability of the police force, and independent oversight. But if that relationship can be shifted, so that people have faith in the police to solve crimes, and not to demand bribes or to break the law themselves, the morale of the force should soar. These are general points from experience around the world, but I believe they hold good in Kenya. What do you think?

KENYA AND THE CHALLENGES OF CORRUPTION

2009-09-04T11:25:05+01:00

There's been an enormous storm of protest over the re-appointment of Justice Ringera as head of the Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission. Lots of conflicting views about legality, process, who is responsible for what. Whatever the legal position (and I am no lawyer), it seems to me that this very public anger translates into a simple message from the Kenya public to government: DO SOMETHING ABOUT CORRUPTION. The debate over this appointment just sums up how frustrated people are at continuing high level and widespread graft. It's something I and my predecessors have said consistently and loudly - corruption is a devastating problem in Kenya, and it hurts ordinary people worst. The mechanisms to deal with it need to be strengthened and must be seen to be credible and able to operate independently and with impact. Successful prosecutions at a high level are surely the best way to deter corruption and make real inroads into the culture of impunity in Kenya. And of course for key appointments it would be far better if the executive, legislature and other stakeholders could agree rather than taking up opposing positions. But above all, what I take away from Kenyan public reactions to this issue is that people's faith in the institutions and the political will of the government and parliament has to be restored. ends Rob

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2009-09-01T19:11:39+01:00

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Electoral Reform in Kenya

2009-08-26T14:28:08+01:00

Met with the Interim Independent Electoral Commission (IIEC), together with various other Ambassadors and development colleagues. Kenya has a plethora of new Commissions and task forces at the moment, but this has to be one of the most important in the country.

As we discussed with them, their wide mandate charges them with enormous responsibilities, with the outside world and Kenyans all watching to see how well they are able to chart a course through the political obstacles to robust electoral reform. The bye-elections this week will be an important test, but the IIEC is up against the clock in trying to build a set of electoral reforms and processes that will re-build Kenyans’ faith in the democratic process to deliver governments who are genuinely working for the national interest.

I found it encouraging to hear some of the steps they have taken so far, and also the goodwill they reported from a wide range of stakeholders including the media. Everyone knows how important it is for them to succeed. Those of us in the international community share that desire, and we will continue to deliver practical support to them. I'd be interested in any comments from readers about electoral reform, and where you see it heading.

YOUNG BRITISH, KENYAN AND PAKISTANI VOLUNTEERS IN MOMBASA

2009-08-25T14:01:03+01:00

A few days ago I was sitting in the Aga Khan High School auditorium in Mombasa, in a debate with a very unusual group of young people. They were all volunteers working with various community organisations, and they were there as part of the British Council’s ‘Global Xchange’ programme, which helps to create ‘global citizens’ who look beyond the boundaries of nationality, religion, ethnicity and culture to strive for the improvement of society. The addition of the contingent from Pakistan enabled the discussion to cover a range of issues affecting Muslims across the world, not just here in Kenya. The title of the discussion was “what poses a bigger threat to peaceful co-existence: poverty & exclusion, corruption, or terrorism?”

For me, it was a chance to explain that people shouldn’t be taken in by propaganda that says Western governments are against Muslims, or equate Islam with terrorism. But it was also a chance to hear the heartfelt concerns from Coast communities, particularly the youth, that they don’t get a fair share of the educational and economic opportunities in Kenya. This isn’t the only country where Muslim populations feel that way. But exchanges like this one help to address some of those issues and bridge cultural gaps. I was glad to have a chance to take part. And a particular cultural uniqueness was added that evening by the British and Pakistani students treating us to Scottish country dancing, in the rain!

Another participant in the event was the admirable organisation Kenya Community Support Center (KECOSCE), who are doing great work empowering leaders in the youth community at the Coast: I was delighted to see that we are supporting such an impressive organisation. And I also paid my first calls on the Council of Imams Preachers in Kenya and visited an excellent organisation called Muslims for Human Rights (MUHURI) . Worthy of support, and I commend them to anyone working in that field.

UK and Kenya

2009-08-13T13:23:29+01:00

Apologies to regular readers of this blog for the gap in posts. Also a reminder to people commenting that you need to keep remarks to under 800 words, otherwise the system automatically rejects them: I know a couple of people have had contributions rejected for that reason.

Here are three things that have been on my mind:

The debate, which has become complicated and I suspect leaves a lot of people confused, about how to handle the post-election violence. Read what the EU Heads of Mission in Kenya had to say about it last week. I just hope that MPs and Ministers, and opinion formers in the press and elsewhere, can inform a public debate that allows the country to agree a way to hold people accountable for the violence. It's just common sense that if there is no consequence for inciting or facilitating mob violence, people will do it again. But I've said enough about this in the past.

Second, the fact that despite all the political controversies in Kenya, what most people are worried about is food shortages. This is a huge challenge for the government, together with international aid agencies, but I agree with those commentators who have said let's get the longer term issues sorted out, so that droughts don't cause this sort of crisis in the future.

And third, celebrating the positive. I was at the recent festival organised by StoryMoja and the Hay Festival from the UK, where there was an enormous amount of debate and engagement by a wide range of Kenyans of all ages and backgrounds. I came away energised by the positives in the country, not least the dynamism of young people and their determination to make the country better. And just yesterday I was at the launch of a new service to help small businesses succeed in Kenya - run by a 29 year old Kenyan who studied and set up her company in the UK, and assisted by the UK Trade and Investment team in the High Commission. AFRI Business Development is a great example of how Kenyans from the diaspora can come back into the country with ideas and enthusiasm that can really help the economy.

UK and Kenya -Commonwealth conversation

2009-07-28T13:15:05+01:00

The modern Commonwealth celebrated its 60th birthday this year. David Miliband, the British Foreign Secretary, pointed out in a major speech this week that, of the Commonwealth's two billion citizens, half are under 25. So it is, or should be, the voice of the future. Today the Commonwealth needs to speak to and deliver for this new generation. This is part of the UK's agenda for reforming international institutions to fit the modern world. Soft power institutions like the Commonwealth have a vital role to play.

David Milband pointed out in his speech that such institutions sit in a more crowded international field than during the 1960s or 70s but the distinctive range, reach and diversity of the Commonwealth is an asset if it can be allied to real focus and clear purpose. launching the

I encourage you to join in the commonwealth conversation, or alternatively give your thoughts using this blog.

UK and Kenya - Response to Iqbal Halani

2009-07-22T10:00:18+01:00

Some of the most recent comments on my blog need a response. I have been away for a week and have not had a chance to come back on the disturbing remarks that single out one ethnic group for blame for the country's problems. Needless to say, I condemn such comments, and I apologise to any readers who have been offended by them - although I know they are far from rare on Kenya blogs and letters to the papers.

But what I am struck by, from my experience in different parts of the world, is the terrible impact of the concept of victimhood. Wherever you find two (or more) groups of people, each of whom are convinced they are victims in a given situation, conflict becomes almost inevitable.

And yet seeing yourself as a victim is almost entirely a matter of choice. I had that discussion with a British politician recently, who had come from an extremely disadvantaged background to a position of great power and success. His point was that he could have seen himself as a victim, and blamed other people for his circumstances, but he chose instead to get on with reaching his own goals.

I wouldn't presume to know everything about the inter-ethnic tensions in Kenya, but I strongly believe that people have an option to turn away from the narratives of victimhood that are pedalled on blogs and sometimes by politicians, in this country. I don't want to get into refuting the individual points in recent comments on this blog, but I repeat that I in no way condone them, although I continue to welcome and encourage an open debate. It is only when people voice their views that they can be understood and challenged.

Swine Flu: British in Kenya

2009-07-13T06:42:05+01:00

There's been considerable focus here on swine flu recently following the diagnosis a couple of weeks ago of the first case in Kenya. As it was a British student, our mission was closely involved both in supporting the students and in discussions with the Ministry of Health and other health experts. For those interested, here is the text of a letter I've sent to the editors of the main papers on the case and particularly the importance of clear public messaging:

'The media covered in detail the case of some British students diagnosed with the H1NI Influenza virus (Swine Flu), the first such case in Kenya. This has been a useful opportunity to inform the public of some of the issues around this virus, which has been declared as a global pandemic by the WHO. But at the same time, it's important to be responsible and present the facts clearly.

This type of flu has been spreading round the world rapidly. Fortunately, to date, most cases have been mild, not likely to be life-threatening except in a few cases for people with pre-existing medical conditions or other vulnerabilities (in the same way that normal flu is). When one British student developed symptoms and tested positive while in Kisumu, the group behaved extremely responsibly. They were all medical students and fully understood issues around infectious diseases. So they stayed in quarantine until cleared of the virus by health officials, and even those who did not develop symptoms took the relevant anti-viral drug just to be on the safe side.

The students also liaised with local authorities so that people they had worked closely with could be traced, monitored, tested and treated, as appropriate. All those that they had closest contact with have tested negative. It would not be helpful to sensationalise their departure by giving the false impression that they were still infectious or in isolation. As the WHO and others make clear, once people are symptom free they are no longer infectious and should be able to travel freely. Their response was sensible and followed sound public health principles.

Finally there have been a couple of comments in the press suggesting that had Kenyans arrived in the UK with the virus, they would have been turned away or subject to harsher travel restrictions than British people here. That is of course simply untrue: a Kenyan arriving in the UK testing positive for H1N1 flu would in fact not be under any travel restrictions (following WHO advice that restrictions will not help). But they would be offered the appropriate drugs for treatment and asked to self-isolate until symptoms have gone. This is usually within 7 days. Those who want more information on swine flu and how the UK is dealing with it, can look at the www.directgov.uk pages or the Health Protection Agency pages at www.hpa.org.uk.

So thank you for raising the profile of pandemic influenza and the collaboration between states to deal with it in a responsible way. I would encourage you and other media outlets to continue reporting responsibly and not to risk inadvertently causing unnecessary public concern.'

UK and Kenya-Response to Dr. Wapili Job

2009-07-01T09:48:35+01:00

I'd like to respond to the comment posted by Dr Wapili Job. As I wrote earlier, it's not for us to try to dictate how Kenya pursues justice for the post election violence. But we do support the findings of the Waki commission (and the government's own repeated statements) that a serious judicial process is needed. The question seems to be "what constitutes a serious judicial process". Kenyans I speak to seem divided on this. But I do think it important that there should be an informed public debate. I think a lot of people are misled by the phrase "a local tribunal". What Waki recommended, and we support along with Kofi Annan and others, is the concept of a tribunal based on the international law that governs the ICC, with constitutional protection, and thus insulated from the existing judicial and prosecutorial system. So it would have international investigators, international prosecutors, and a majority of international judges at both the trial and appeal level. That is the proposal that Parliament rejected, which is a shame, because whether or not the ICC gets involved, such a tribunal seems to be the best way to attack impunity in the country.

One thing does seem pretty clear to me though - given the doubts people have about even such a strong tribunal, a weaker one isn't likely to carry credibility with many Kenyans or others. The idea of a tribunal set up under the existing court system is doing the rounds, but certainly lacks that credibility, which is what I have said to anyone who has raised it with me. I'm not, of course, going to comment on any specific meetings I've had that were not in the public domain.

Ends

UK and Kenya- Replies to some points made

2009-07-01T06:18:34+01:00

Some thoughtful and thought-provoking comments on my last post. A couple of them ask questions:

First, Iqbal Halani asks about a Special Tribunal as proposed in the Waki Commission as against the alternative idea of a tribunal set up under existing mechanisms. It's up to Kenyans to decide what route they want to take towards justice for the post-election violence. But as far as we are concerned, we remain strong supporters of the National Accord process, of which the Waki Commission was a key part. And one of the key conclusions of that Commission was that any judicial process was going to have to be credible and independent. That's why it recommended a tribunal anchored in the constitution. Would an alternative that is under the existing structures be credible? Judging by the fact that most Kenyans seem to harbour doubts about even the stronger, Waki version, I can't imagine that a weaker one would be acceptable to many people. What do you think?

Second, let me answer Alexander's question about the links with the case brought by veterans of Mau Mau. I think it is absolutely right to point out that transitional justice mechanisms need to link back to history. At a time when Kenya is setting up a TJRC to look at injustices since independence, it's perhaps a good moment to look back before that, to the colonial period also. We certainly don't want to impede that debate, and we think it's important to have an open discussion, including of Mau Mau and the Emergency period. I am afraid that I'm going to duck for now the invitation to make a statement about the case itself: I don't know the details of the claims, so it is difficult to comment in any detail, and since these are before the courts, that's the right place for the discussion to happen. But a couple of general points: as I said to the representatives of the Mau Mau veterans when I met them before they left for the UK, I believe that everyone who thinks they have a justifiable claim should have access to the courts to have it heard. I have faith in the High Court in London to hear it impartially, and of course the British Government will abide by the outcome. And although I am not sure how much prospect they have of actually winning their case, I don't think it is unhelpful to shine a spotlight on what has happened in in the past, including in the Emergency period which brought a great deal of suffering to people on all sides.

And thirdly, I apologise for not answering earlier Mary Onyango's question about the health sector. Health is, indeed, essential for development. DFID is funding on average £28 million per year on health and AIDS work, particularly malaria control. The UK is a development partner in the health sector and we engage in a variety of policy and strategy consultation mechanisms. We work with civil society as well as government, and concentrate our work in areas of high vulnerability. We have funded the distribution of 14 million anti malarial bednets to date and provide around 30 million condoms per year.
Of course, there is always more to do. For another example of our work, see my blog on a military medical exercise last month.

ends

UK and Kenya- More thoughts on impunity

2009-06-16T13:51:28+01:00

When I started this blog three months ago, my first post asked people what they thought about the defeat in the Kenyan Parliament of legislation enabling the creation of an independent Special Tribunal to investigate and prosecute crimes committed in the post-election violence. There was a mixed response, with some people frustrated and others thinking that the defeat of that bill would accelerate the involvement of the International Criminal Court in The Hague.

Now here we are, with still no movement towards a tribunal, and Kofi Annan last week stressing the urgency of meeting his August deadline. I must admit I'm surprised that so many MPs I speak to seem relaxed about rejecting the recommendation of the Waki Commission, which is supported by most legal experts, the whole international community, and the ICC itself (they have said a local tribunal should be set up). It's effectively turning round to the Kenyan people and saying "we know that we've been asked to set up this tribunal in order to seek justice for the victims of the violence, and deter people from doing the same things again. But actually we'd rather not". I certainly don't agree with those who have been quoted saying that "Kenyans have forgiven" and it's time to move on - that's not what people tell me when I visit the affected areas.

I know that some people argue that they don't support a local tribunal because they want the ICC to be involved. But it's not 'either/or'. Even if the ICC starts investigations into certain crimes, there is an overwhelming case for a credible, independent special tribunal sitting locally, to investigate all the crimes that the ICC won't be able to.

If the ICC gets involved, we'll support it strongly, as we always do. But we'll carry on arguing that if the government and parliament between them shouldn't give up on this key part of the National Accord. Sure, we'll be criticised by some for arguing this way. But that won't put us off: preventing a return to out-of-control violence is too important to Kenya, to the region and to the world - the international community has a legitimate stake in these issues. Just as we won't stop calling for action on other aspects of official impunity, such as prosecution of the perpetrators of Anglo-Leasing and other grand corruption scandals. Both are faces of the same curse: impunity. And people in the UK continue to care about these issues: see a recent debate in the upper house of our Parliament

So three months on from when I first asked the question, what do Kenyans think now about this issue?

ends

ROB MACAIRE

UK and Kenya -Migration and Security

2009-06-08T08:20:41+01:00

I spend quite a lot of my time wrestling with the problems of Somalia, so I found it instructive to go up to the Kenya-Somali border last week on a visit to NE Province, and hear from some of the people who are affected by cross-border movements. One aspect of this is the huge and growing refugee population Kenya is hosting (donor governments and the UN High Commission for Refugees are in discussion with the Government about how to provide decent facilities for refugees, taking account of the impact on local populations too.See the editorial in today's Standard. Another is the economic impact of money and people moving across that border, something that seems to cause concern to many people here in Nairobi and at the Coast. And the third, which particularly affects Kenya's international partners like the UK, is the security angle: the flows of small arms, illegal or 'grey' money, drugs, contraband, and people-smuggling or people-trafficking rings.

We're engaged with the Kenyan authorities on most of these problems. Our law enforcement teams work together on drugs and serious crime. We have been working with Kenyan fingerprinting experts to help increase the capability to combat 'nationality swapping' where people change their ID papers to claim the nationality that best suits them (a problem affecting the UK as well as East African countries). The UK Borders Agency coordinates with other governments, international organisations, airlines, and others to combat illegal migration as well as facilitating legal migration. And we're supporting some projects to help Kenyan authorities control that remote, 700km, porous border that I saw last week. But a lot more needs to be done. I'm puzzled, for example, why the Parliament has yet to pass robust Money Laundering legislation, given the general concern felt in the country about drugs money and piracy ransoms flowing into Kenya. Any comments from readers on this? Perhaps something for Kenya's excellent investigative journalists to take an interest in?

On a more positive note, I was extremely impressed by what I saw in Garissa District of the work to support orphans and vulnerable children through a social safety net system that DFID is assisting with. The local Childrens' Officers are professional and effective, and local schools and remote communities have been really transformed by this pilot project. See my recent comments on the similar work in Turkana. I hope the Government can build its Social Protection strategy to incorporate and extend this excellent work.

UK and Kenya- British and Kenya army medical exercise

2009-06-04T11:45:26+01:00

I've always had great respect for army medics, and it was increased on a trip I made earlier this week. I was in Baringo district, seeing at first hand some of the British Army's work, jointly with the Kenyan army and Ministry of Health, in providing immunisations and primary healthcare (including dental care) to Kenyans whom the state's medical services find difficult to reach. It's the fourteenth year they have done this annual exercise, covering some of the country's more remote areas. When we dropped in to see them they had already seen over 13,000 people, and were about half way through the exercise. Of course, initiatives like this don't resolve the underlying issues of provision of healthcare in rural areas, but I was glad to see that the Army had coordinated well with DFID's longer term programmes, for example helping to distribute anti-malarial bednets from DFID's programme.

So next time someone asks me what benefit Kenya gets from the British Army exercising here, I'll point them in the direction of some of the people I met in Baringo, as well as pointing out the economic contributions to local communities and the training the Kenyan army gets!

One of the added advantages for me of these trips to relatively remote villages is the chance to speak to local Councillors and Chiefs about the challenges they face day to day. Often their immediate needs (a pump for a manual borehole, a maternity facility in a local diapensary) are strikingly small scale, and it's great when you see CDF money being wisely used to meet those needs. Which is why it's so tragic to hear that, on some estimates, up to 50% of CDF country-wide gets dissipated through mismanagement or corruption. I'd be interested in readers' views on that.

Rob

UK AND KENYA – NATIONAL PRAYER BREAKFAST

2009-05-29T05:18:04+01:00

I have just been to the National Prayer Breakfast here in Nairobi. I found it impressive, not least because the Guest Speaker, President Kagame, had some powerful words to the Kenyan leaders and people about the process of national healing and how to avoid what had happened in Rwanda. He said that failed states were a reflection of failed leadership, and pointed out that the people of Kenya could not afford to fail. He read movingly from the Old Testament story of Solomon, who asked God only for wisdom and knowledge. President Kagame suggested that it was when leaders failed to make a concerted effort to seek wisdom and knowledge that states risked failure.

I also found it encouraging that MPs from across the political divide, and the top political leadership who were present, all stressed the need for leaders and people to rise above political, religious or ethnic divisions. There were representatives from about twenty countries there this morning, many of whom have their own annual Prayer Breakfasts (the current chairs of the US and UK ones, from the US Senate and the House of Lords respectively, were present). Every country faces its challenges, and these events are important occasions for political leaders to reflect on the moral and spiritual underpinnings of our societies – whatever religious background people come from.

Meanwhile many people will have been following political developments in the UK over MPs' expenses. There have been some questions on this blog about it. Clearly the recent disclosures have raised important issues. Our Prime Minister, and other political leaders, have all said that there must be reform of the system. The Government, parties and MPs are working hard to address the concerns that have rightly been raised. I am sure that there will be more discussion of this over coming months - there has alread been some lively comment in the Kenyan press, certainly!

Rob

UK and Kenya - Karura mission

2009-05-15T08:38:23+01:00

One of the things that strikes people who come to live in Kenya is the high level of environmental awareness, and nowhere more so than on the issue of forests. So although the current ongoing destruction of the Mau Forest is absolutely tragic (I've seen the smoke rising from it myself), on the other hand there is a huge lobby of concern, and it is encouraging to hear that the Government has made it a priority to reverse the situation, and save that vital watertower. I know that the land ownership and usage arguments are complex and sensitive, but I have been impressed that there seems to be political support across the spectrum for urgent action.

But today I wanted to write about the Karura Forest - much smaller than Kenya's major watertowers, but for those of us in Nairobi, an extraordinary natural asset, right on our doorsteps (someone told me it is the largest indigenous forest inside an urban area anywhere in the world). It was famously saved from encroachement/development by some extrordinarily courageous campaigning by Wangari Mathaai and her Green Belt Movement. Yet tragically, hardly anyone goes there because of its security reputation. So I was delighted to hear that the Kenya Forest Service, along with local community leaders and other stakeholders, have a plan to open it up as an educational and recreational amenity, by making it safe and secure for all. That's why I and my family will be going along to the open day celebrating the opening up of a Family Trail through the forest (Saturday 16 May, 10.00 at Old Kiambu Road entrance to the forest). My wife Alice is a great fan of the forest, pointing out that it's one of the most beautiful places around (50 foot waterfalls, sacred caves, a huge variety of plants and animals), and we're keen to help support those who have the interest of the forest at heart. I can imagine a great future for it as a place where schoolchildren come every day to learn about local history and nature; where local people can get some respite from the pressures of city life; where dead wood can be gathered for fuel for local communties; and where leisure activities bring in a sustainable income to keep the forest safe for future generations. Well done to those who are working to make this happen!

Rob

UK and Kenya

2009-05-07T14:41:00+01:00

Looking back at some of the earlier strings in this blog, I see that there are some comments and questions I haven't responded to, so in the interests of two-way dialogue, here are some thoughts.

A couple of people including Benjamin commented on the importance of developed countries sustaining their pledges to the developing world during the economic down-turn. Hadassah was sceptical that would be the case. And Mucemi thought that decades of cash inflows from the West had not substantially changed the lot of Africans. Various other people pointed out that while corruption continues to reign, outside assistance won't have much effect. The first point is one that I feel I can answer with some confidence, at least as regards the UK. The recommitment to development pledges at the G20 summit in London were important, and in the case of the UK, our development spending is still programmed to increase, in real terms as well as in proportion to our GDP. Gordon Brown has been very firm in committing to this, and pushing other countries to do the same. Perhaps more importantly, the increase in IMF and World Bank funding coming out of the G20 meeting will be important to countries like Kenya.

The second point is more complicated. I'd argue that since modern development cooperation has clear targets (the Millennium Development Goals) and is no longer "tied" to bring advantage to the donor country, it does contribute massively to lifting people out of poverty, and creating more equality and opportunity in societies around the world. I don't agree with those economists who say that Africa would be better off in the long run if all development inflows were stopped right away - although we all know that more equitable trade would help the continent even more. But on the corruption point, it's certainly true that it impacts on development. In fact, if you look at a country like Kenya, judging by its population and poverty indicators, our assistance should theoretically be roughly double what it is currently. The reason why it isn't is the difficulty of delivering development programmes given the governance and corruption issues. Other partners are probably in the same situation. And I am sure (as another contributor commented on an earlier blog) that investors are scared off by this factor. So ordinary Kenyan citizens and taxpayers are hurt in more ways than one by the scourge of corruption.

UK and Kenya- Economic challenges and food shortage

2009-04-28T13:02:43+01:00

One of the replies to my last blog commented that I should be writing about the situation in Kenya, rather than worrying about piracy. I agree that the situation in Kenya is of great concern. But some of the real issues aren't in the theatre of Nairobi politics, but in the economic challenges and food shortages facing the poorest. I was up in Turkana a few days ago. The malnutrition rates there are shocking (by some counts, worse than in Somalia or Darfur). Many people's income is less than Ksh1000 a month. So it was inspiring to see some of the innovative work that is being done in a new Hunger Safety Net Programme, in partnership between the Government, DFID, Oxfam, Equity Bank and other partners. The idea is simple: rather than fall back on food aid every year, help the poorest and most vulnerable families to get out of poverty and hunger for the longer term, by targeted cash transfers. Making it work is more complicated, so I was impressed to see how modern technology (electronic fingerprinting, swipe cards, and basic solar panels to power card readers where there is no electricity) is enabling outreach to some of the most remote communities. Cash transfers give people opportunities to meet basic health and education needs that cannot be met by food hand-outs, and help people avoid having to sell assets in bad years. I am convinced this programme, into which my government is putting some Ksh14 billion over the next ten years, will help countless people out of long term hunger. But it will only do it as part of a wider Social Protection strategy for the country, which I hope we can help the Government to develop.

When you go and see programmes like this on the ground, it's easier to be hopeful that answers can be found to some of Kenya's biggest challenges. But they all depend on a government that is able to deliver, so I am with those who want to see less of partisan politics, and more focus on how leaders can pull together for the good of the country.

Rob

UK and Kenya: The problem of piracy

2009-04-20T13:58:42+01:00

Somali pirates have been much in the news recently - not just here in the region, but across the international press. People are rightly concerned about the threat to trade, not least into Mombasa, and a lot of people have welcomed the robust action taken recently by the US and France. But of course this is just the tip of the iceberg: there are a lot more piracy incidents going on than hit the press, and likewise a continuous and intensive international effort to tackle them. I agree with those who say that the problem won't be sorted finally until there is greater law & order and economic development on land. The UK is a strong supporter of the peace process to reconcile the parties in Somalia and bring more stability and growth to the country.

But in the meantime, many nations, including ours, are engaged in tackling the piracy threat at sea. And it is impressive to see the responsible leadership role Kenya has taken, in being willing to take pirate suspects into detention and try them through the courts. Now other regional countries should join that effort, so that there's a proper sharing of the burden between naval powers patrolling the waters, and regional states who stand to gain most from effective anti-piracy operations.

A great example of international cooperation to tackle international threats. So I'm saddened to see some of the misinformation in the press about Kenya being a "dumping ground" or putting itself at more risk by joining this international effort: a bigger threat would come from not tackling piracy.

I see my colleague John Duncan has been blogging about this from the point of view of the international arms trade - I commend his blog.

UK and Kenya- G20 Summit

2009-04-06T12:15:00+01:00

During my trip to London last week, colleagues in the Foreign Office were focused on plans for the G20 summit to reach agreement on dealing with the current global financial crisis. Our Africa Minister, Lord Malloch Brown, was continuing to work closely with the Prime Minister (Gordon Brown) to help ensure that the commitments being discussed for the Summit reflected needs identified by African leaders when they met the Prime Minister in London on 16 March.

For me, living in Kenya but coming from the UK, it's striking how much more concern there is in Europe than here about the economic crisis. And yet although the crisis started in Western financial institutions, African countries stand to be hit just as badly by the global downturn.

Now that the Summit has finished, I'm wondering what Kenyans think of the outcomes? Do you think they will help Africa? I am proud that the UK has been leading the way to press for developed countries to honour their commitments to the developing world, but there are also things that all governments will need to do if the world economy is going to be kept on track for recovery. What more do you think needs to be done?

Rob

UK and Kenya: blogging

2009-04-01T13:43:45+01:00

One of the participants at the Geneva conference this week was Ory Okelloh, who I gather was invited specifically because of her Kenyan Pundit blog, showing that the importance of online discussions and commentaries was recognised by the organisers. I'm sure we'll see more of this sort of interaction, which can only be a good thing. Ory's suggestion to me when we met at the conference was 'the more interaction the better'. So I've looked back and tried to answer some more of the questions and comments in response to my first few blog entries. As I said at the start, I'm not going to be able to respond to each and every comment, but where there are common themes I will try to do so.

Why didn't Britain encourage a repeat election in Jan 2008?

This is quite an easy one to answer. We judged that at that time, with killings and violence taking place, a re-run of the election would have been certain to lead to much more bloodshed. I think that many people agreed with us - certainly that was the view of Kofi Annan as key mediator, as he made very clear at this week's conference.

Denying visas should be a last resort, because it will be unpopular

That is something I agree with. We only do it as a last resort. And there are very few countries where we do it. But given that no senior figures have ever (repeat ever) been successfully prosecuted for corruption in this country, we feel we have to take this step simply to challenge impunity. I agree entirely that it is a difficult and sensitive policy to implement, and we need to be very careful that we are fair and impartial in our actions. If you think we are not being, post a comment.

What efforts is Britain taking to ensure that the war on terrorism doesn't hurt innocent Muslims?

We don't use the term 'war on terror'. Our counter-terrorism efforts are best described in the 'CONTEST' strategy document, a new version of which was launched last week. If you have a look at that, you will see that our work in this area goes to great lengths to avoid associating terrorism with any one religion. We seek to prevent terrorism and to pursue terrorists - and one of the biggest supports in that work is of course the hostility that communities feel towards those individuals who seek to commit murder and mayhem. But any action that is perceived as targeting Muslims, rather than terrorists, is extremely counter-productive and something that we go to great lengths to avoid.

What is Britain's engagement in the health sector?

I am going to duck that by passing on the link for DFID in Kenya, as that will be more effective than me trying to summarise it (from a very non-expert point of view)

Foreign aid has good intentions but fails?

See answer above. But I've seen that there is a lively debate on this subject in other Kenyan blogs, and it is something I would like to return to when space and time permits - watch this space. And keep the questions and comments coming.

UK and Kenya -Geneva Conference on Kenya

2009-03-31T06:48:54+01:00

Today I am writing from Geneva, where Kofi Annan is hosting a conference to learn lessons from the Kenya crisis a year ago, and the National Accord that brought it to an end. It’s a serious occasion, with a lot of the people who were involved in the negotiations, including from the ‘Serena team’, and representatives from civil society, media and the international community who all played a role a year ago. Many speakers today have highlighted the concern of Kenyans about the stalling of crucial reforms, and people’s anger about the lack of action to deal with corruption. Kofi Annan summed up a lot of people’s feelings when he said that ‘the time to act is now – signing an agreement is the easy part’. Hopefully tomorrow’s sessions will get into more detail about implementation, including on the fundamental issues of constitutional reform, and a tribunal to seek justice for crimes committed in the post-election violence. No-one here is under any illusion about the scale of the challenges facing Kenya. I hope this conference will play a part in uniting all players (government, civil society, the international community) in a sense of direction and urgency.

Rob

UK and Kenya-Global economic crisis

2009-03-28T09:06:51+00:00

As one of the responses to my last blog perceptively noticed, I am back in London this week for the annual gathering of all British Ambassadors and High Commissioners. A lot of what we have been discussing is about the impact of the global economic crisis on the developing world, including the points raised by others on this blog: remittances, development assistance, migration. These are difficult issues, and I have been struck by the fact that even among the best commentators and analysts, no-one at the moment is confident enough to predict exactly how the economic downturn will unfold over the course of this year. But all attention here is on the G20 Summit here next week. This is a crucial moment in the international response to the crisis. I won't try to summarise here the way this is shaping up. But let me point out that the British Government, from the Prime Minister down, has been insistent that this summit has to address, among other things, the urgent need for responses to take account of developing nations and of the poor and vulnerable who are being affected by the crisis.

I should comment briefly on the remarks by the person signing themselves as 'Militant'; although I don't suppose that I am likely to change those views, judging by the way they are written. It doesn't really make sense to argue that countries like mine want to keep the developing world poor - we want countries that are stable, peaceful, more equal and better governed. Those countries will be better partners for us, as I commented last week: whether on trade and investment or on dealing with serious threats we face in common. And just to comment on the remark about the suffering people of Darfur - who really cares more for those people: the international community that has been pouring in millions of pounds/dollars/euros in humanitarian assistance, both from governments and from charitable giving, and putting massive political efforts into supporting the peace process? Or the government in Khartoum, which recently banned international NGOs from operating there, directly increasing the suffering of the people?

Rob

UK and Kenya, and impunity

2009-03-19T12:47:46+00:00

I am delighted that there has been so much response to this new blog. I wish there was space to come back on every point, and will try to address as many as I can over the coming weeks. But here are a couple of quick responses for now.

1. Hassan talks about where UK strategic interests stop and concerns about Kenya start. I think that's only an issue when those two collide. Most of the time, they don't. What do we want to see in Kenya? We'd like the country to be more prosperous and stable, fairer, and with less poverty. That means less corruption, better governance. Because all of those things will make Kenya a better partner for Britain across the board - whether it's trade and investment, dealing with regional crises, dealing with transnational problems like crime and terrorism, or meeting the Millenium Development Goals. So if you think about it, what we want lines up pretty well with what wananchi want to see.

2. A lot of the comments people have posted are about impunity in one way or another. My point about justice for the post election violence was not meant to be critical of the ICC - the UK has been a strong supporter of the ICC ever since it was first set up. And if it investigates crimes in Kenya, we'll back that fully. My point was just that if Kenya turns its back on the opportunity to set up the sort of tribunal recommended by the Waki Commission (with international judges, international prosecutors and investigators, etc) then it will be missing out on probably the best chance to hold people accountable for their crimes. That outside input into the tribunal would be necessary to remove the fears people have that it would be manipulated. But it would also help re-build confidence that justice can be done here, not just in the Hague. That's what Kofi Annan, the Waki Commission, and a lot of ordinary Kenyans feel too. But this has to be a decision for Kenyans to take. More broadly, we're doing what we can to help Kenya tackle impunity on issues like corruption. One way we do this is to exclude from our country senior individuals who have been strongly linked with corruption cases, even if they have not been successfully prosecuted. I saw that my colleague Michael Ranneberger's announcement yesterday of such a visa ban got a lot of attention. Most people I meet say this sort of action is effective and welcome and that we should do more of it (we already do it quite a lot). What do you think?

UK and Kenya

2009-03-17T08:29:12+00:00

Hello, and welcome to this new blog. I’m delighted to say that lots of British diplomats from the Foreign Secretary to British Embassy colleagues in Harare and other parts of the world are now blogging: I’m pleased to be one of them.

In this blog I’ll be talking about some of the things that are high on the agenda for ordinary Kenyans, and for those of us who are friends of Kenya. Things like the economic situation, governance and the fight against corruption. And also trade and investment, development co-operation, and threats from crime, terrorism and regional instability. But what do you want me to cover?. Blogging allows for a two way conversation, unlike mainstream media. We want to learn from your perspectives and ideas. And I hope this blog will help you understand our approach and contribute to the debate about foreign policy. I’ll look to respond to your common ideas, comments and questions.

I’ve been British High Commissioner in Kenya for about five months now. I have met a huge range of people in this fascinating, welcoming country. But I hope that by using this tool I can reach more, and above all hear views from a wider range of people (and for those of us using local internet connections, let’s hope for improvement in the speed and ease of connectivity!).

Let me say at the start that my blog won’t get into issues of Kenyan party politics. That’s not my job. But when it comes to the reform agenda that the government signed up to in the National Accord a year ago, we in the UK, like others in the international community, have been strong supporters. We’ll continue to do what we can to help it stay on course. Because we believe that it’s not only a unique opportunity, but it’s absolutely essential if this country is to be saved from a return to the chaos of early 2008.

So when we see it going off track, as it seems to have done with the failure to create an independent tribunal into the post-election violence as recommended in the Waki report, we will say so. Like other heads of mission with whom I made a joint statement about this, I think that an independent tribunal with an international prosecutor and judges and strong witness protection systems would be a good way to get justice for the victims of that violence, and deter people from repeating it. The ICC in The Hague is another route for seeking justice, but not without its drawbacks. But I know lots of people think differently. What do you think?