By John Otieno
VICE-President Moody Awori is once again on the spotlight over his attempt to invite Chinese renegade leader, Dalai Lama Tenzin, into the country.
The move that elicited sharp protests from the Chinese government saw the Vice-President, who is apparently smarting from alleged attempts to interfere with judicial proceedings in a Busia court, reading from a different script with other government agencies and officials.
According to documents in our possession, the Dalai Lama was supposed to visit Kenya for three days beginning January 22 this year. But the tour was indiscreetly put off despite earlier authorisation by Awori.
Officials arranging Lama’s visit had laid down all the prerequisites of the tour, but suddenly found their plans thwarted when the government simply went dead on the matter, promising to issue the Nobel Peace laureate with a visa but not acting on it.
Equally mind-boggling are the circumstances surrounding the de-registration of a local NGO that was involved in preparing the visit. Our investigations reveal a concerted involvement of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China that demanded investigations into the NGO’s mandate, claiming it was involved in “vicious and separatist” activities to split Tibet from mainland China.
The 71-year-old Dalai Lama, who has just returned to India after a 12-day tour of the United States, has led a Tibetan government in exile in India since 1959 after fleeing Tibet in the wake of Chinese takeover of his country.
The cancellation of his planned visit rekindles the controversy that characterised Dalai Lama’s intent to visit Kenya in 1999. The visit was cancelled under controversial circumstances, with former President Daniel arap Moi only declaring government opposition at a rally in Narok, where he said the Nobel peace laureate would not be allowed “under whatever circumstances.”
At that time, the cancellation elicited a huge public outcry, with President Mwai Kibaki, then leader of the Official Opposition, accusing Moi of succumbing to China’s “cheque-book diplomacy,” a policy whereby China gives money to poor countries in return for diplomatic support. Kibaki sought to portray the Moi government as cheap, gullible and an enemy of oppressed people, saying Kenya had lost its sovereignty to international donors.
But despite his public opposition then that remain on record, it has since emerged that this latest visit was stopped by State House after protests from the Chinese embassy. Our investigations reveal that Kibaki personally stopped the arrangements even after Awori had assured the organisers that Kenya would allow the Dalai Lama into the country provided he came as a private citizen.
In a letter dated August 1, 2006, Awori told organisers of the visit that Dalai Lama was free to visit Kenya. “I have consulted and have information that provided His Holiness comes as a private citizen, then there will no problem,” said Awori. “The Government would not be involved in his visit other than to ensure security,” Awori said.
Earlier he had acknowledged requests to assist the Dalai Lama with the processing of travel documents. “I have asked our Principal Immigration Officer to alert our Delhi office to issue visas to His Holiness and his entourage,” he assured Dalai Lama’s Representative for Africa, Jampal Chosang.
The NGO, Friends of Taiwan and Tibet International, was registered on December 18, 2003 by a Kenyan engineer who studied in China, with aims to foster cultural cooperation between Kenyans and Tibetans.
Barely a month after the Chinese embassy in Nairobi protested to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs over the NGO’s activities, the NGO Co-ordination Board de-registered the organisation without giving reasons. But documents filed at the government’s Secret Registry reveal a chain of correspondence between the Chinese embassy and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs over the issue.
In a letter dated February 10, 2004, the embassy complained about the NGO’s activities. The NGO is challenging the cancellation in court.
The letter read in part signed by A.M. Kihurani on behalf of the Permanent Secretary : “The embassy of the People’s Republic of China has informed this Ministry that an NGO named “Friends of Taiwan and Tibet International has been set up by one Walter Kirimi M’muguma. The embassy is concerned that the NGO is supporting separatist attempts to split Taiwan and Tibet from mainland China. Kenya is very firm in its support for the People’s Republic of China’s ‘One China’ policy which avers that Taiwan is a province of China and the latter Government is the only one that we recognise.”
“We therefore request you to take the necessary action to ensure that the Government’s policy and position on the matter is not compromised through the undermining of Kenya/China relations,” it goes on to state.
Attempts to reach Awori for comment bore no fruits. The head of the Vice-President Press Unit VPPU Brown Kutswa who promised to get back to us failed to do so.
But Foreign Affairs Minister Raphael Tuju could only say that “Kenya supports the one China policy”.
The shenanigans surrounding the intended visit has put Sino-Kenya cooperation under renewed spotlight. While the government has defended Kenya’s deepening ties with China as of economic benefit, this visit buttresses the view that China’s aid to Kenya is not unconditional. China demands a “One China” policy in its international relations, but demands total support for its policies from poor countries.
The Vice-President has been in the limelight over the last one moth following revelations in Parliament by Gem MP Jakoyo Midiwo that he had attempted to interfere with a robbery case involving three suspects.
Documents availed to Kenya Times reveal an unusual exchange of letters between the VP and Mr Walter Nyarima, who was hearing a robbery with violence case involving three of Mr Awori’s constituents.
Mr Nyarima, former Busia Principal Magistrate who was moved to Kericho after an exchange of letters with Awori on the status of a robbery with violence case he was hearing.
So alarmed was the magistrate after receiving a letter from Mr Awori in January inquiring about the case that he wrote: “The complainants have expressed their fear that you will use your powerful office to derail the course of justice…I plead with our able Chief Justice to protect judicial officers in this station from your frequent interventions in cases pending in court.”
It all started following the arrest of Mr Patrick Lumumba Ochieng alias Ibrahim Odhiambo, Vincent Okumu alias Foka and Denis Oundo alias Abanja, who were charged before the magistrate with robbery with violence which, if convicted, carries a mandatory death sentence.
Mr Awori wrote to the magistrate a two-sentence letter in which he said: “I have received a letter from Mr Patrick Lumumba on the above case, which also involves Messrs Vincent Okumu and Denis Wandera. Will you please let me know the status of the case.”
The magistrate wrote back giving particulars of the case. He stated that on the night of October 4 and 5, 2005, at Sio Port township, while armed with an AK-47 rifle, robbed Michael Oyugi Ogola of assorted household goods and money, and shot dead Veronica Achieng and Jackline Ojiambo.
Mr Nyarima went on to say that he appreciates the VP’s desire to assist his people out of criminal charges, but he nonetheless upholds his oath of office.
“You have on numerous occasions written directly to this court and sometimes to higher authorities interceding in specific cases which has made us to work in your district with a lot of fear,” he said.
