US President Barrack Obama on Sunday took a swipe at former Prime Minister, Raila Odinga, for asking the US Government to do things to Jubilee Government that he opposed when he served in Government as the Prime Minister.
In 2009, Raila, who was then Prime Minister, cautioned the US against interfering in Kenya’s affairs during an Africa Growth and Opportunity (AGOA) meeting in August that year.
“Lecturing us on issues that deal with governance and transparency is in bad taste,” Raila said.
“The continent is still recovering from an era of dictatorship and tyrannical leadership that many African countries struggled hard to dislodge,” Raila added.
Obama who seemed well versed with Raila statements in 2009 said it is hypocrisy for opposition leaders to ask him to challenge the Government, yet they had previously opposed the US’ involvement in Kenya’s affairs.
“There is an opposition leader who asked me to do more and force the Kenyan Government to certain things. But I reminded the leader that he opposed this kind of intervention when he was in Government. Was he just raising these things because he is in Opposition?” Obama wondered.
In 2009, Raila was also quoted telling former US Ambassador to Kenya, Michael Ranneberger, that Kenya should not be lectured by the US.
“We therefore don’t need lectures on how to govern ourselves… we only require lectures on how to trade not only with ourselves but with the rest of the world to enable us prosper,” Raila said.
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