SHOULD OBAMA RECALL HIS ENVOY TO KENYA RANNEBERGER..???

Six Kenya MPs allied to the No camp have asked US President Barack Obama to recall his envoy in Kenya, Michael Ranneberger, for "engaging in political activism". They termed the envoy’s decision to attend two Yes rallies on Tuesday as “demeaning and wanting behaviour that does not befit the status of a diplomat". The MPs said Mr Ranneberger’s push for the proposed constitution was a confirmation of the No camp’s claims that the proposed constitution was geared to "serve the interests of foreign masters". “We condemn in harshest terms possible any attempt by foreign forces to impose a document on Kenya that does not answer to the needs and aspirations of our people,” said Peter Kiilu (Makueni, ODM-K). “Ranneberger is neither a Kenyan nor a voter and he has no right to tell Kenyans which constitution benefits them,” said Mr Kiilu. Mr David Koech (Mosop, ODM) cited the August election date in the proposed document as one of the changes that the Committee of Experts put in the document following pressure from foreign governments. Two months to election date, the MP said, was poor timing given that at this time MPs are normally engaged in election campaigns and therefore scrutiny of the Budget by Parliament will suffer. The MPs spoke at a news conference in Parliament Buildings. They were flanked by their colleagues Daniel Muoki (Mwala, ODM-K), Sammy Mwaita (Baringo Central, ODM), Julius Kones (Konoin) and Victor Munyaka (Machakos Town, ODM-K) The US envoy told the Kitale crowd on Tuesday that all MPs had agreed to the National Accord, part of which was a new constitution for the country, so they should not turn around and oppose the document. The envoy has been engaged in a war of words with Higher Education minister William Ruto, the de facto leader of the ‘No’ camp, following Mr Ruto’s stance to oppose the document.