Three senior officials from the British High Commission were flushed out
of a hotel in Eldoret where they were scheduled to hold a day-long
meeting with several civil society organisations from North Rift region.
Second
Secretary in Charge of Political Affairs Tom Howe, Director of
Political Affairs C Sugden and another officer only identified as Nancy,
were kicked out of Sirikwa Hotel in Eldoret town, the venue of the
aborted meeting, after the county Deputy Governor Daniel Chemno accused
them of violating diplomatic protocol.
Mr Chemno who stormed the
meeting at around 11.30 am when introductions were ongoing, hit out at
the officials to the consternation of participants, claiming that the
county government was not informed about the forum.
“I have just come
to register my displeasure to you the officials from the UK High
Commission. How can you come here without having the courtesy of
notifying the county government of your presence and purpose of your
visit as diplomatic protocol demands. It is wrong that we are just being
informed by locals,” posed Chemno.
The deputy governor told them
the meeting was secretive noting that such forums should not take place
at this time when the issue they were discussing at the meeting was
being discussed at the International Criminal Court (ICC) with state
parties.
Earlier on, a team of plain clothes police officers had
camped at the hotel after local leaders raised concern over the presence
of the British High Commission officials.
Some officials claimed
they were on a mission to collect new evidence and recruit additional
witnesses to testify against the Kenyan leaders facing crimes against
humanity charges at the ICC.
There was commotion and tension in
the hall where the officials and participants were set to hold the
meeting forcing the organisers to kick out journalists who had come to
cover the event.
Wesley Chirichir, the coordinator of Kenya
Sports Foundation told the journalists to leave the venue saying their
presence was not needed as the meeting was a closed door consultative
forum.
“We kindly request you not to take any photos or notes as
this meeting is purely closed door and therefore your presence is not
welcome for now,” stressed Mr Chirchir.
Chemno accused the
British government of undermining the county government and their
leadership terming its action as unwarranted and vowing to notify
President Uhuru Kenyatta of the matter.
The deputy governor said
the whole issue was done secretively arousing suspicions among the local
leadership about the British High Commission’s top officials’ tour of
the county.
But reacting to Chemno’s accusations, one of the
officials, Mr Howe, said that their mission should not arise any
suspicion as they had come to have a peaceful forum with various civil
society groups drawn from the region.
No word from governor
He said before they came to Eldoret, they had tried to contact the Governor over their mission with no success.
“We
have been trying to get in touch with the Governor for the last two
weeks but our efforts did not bear any fruits. We even texted him but he
never replied to our inquiries,” said Tom.
Howe asked the local
leadership not to harbour any suspicion over their mission in the county
noting that they had come to meet with civil society organizations and
elders from various communities on matters of peace and reconciliation.
Speaking
to the Press later, one of the conveners of the aborted meeting Simon
Kipkosgey, the coordinator of Kenya Sports Foundation and Stephen
Cheboi, the chairman of the North Rift Human Rights Organisation, said
they were working with the British to develop sports as a means to
enhance peace and unity among local communities. “We were looking for
partnership with the British government that could see our youth take
part in mini Commonwealth Games as part of the wider campaign to promote
peaceful co-existence among communities,” stated Chirchir.
- The Standard