Heads up – Embassy 24 – April 2010

Healing the rift

As the son of a Chief in Post-independece Kenya, Ephraim Waweru Ngare knows a thing or two about being chief of a diplomatic mission.

With 37 years of public service under his belt, the High Commissioner has spent the past four years establishing Kenya’s first diplomatic mission in Libya from scratch.

Now in London, he means business – and he has his own Service Delivery Charter to prove it. His office is immaculate – the cut flowers are Kenyan (one of the country’s main exports), as is the tea that is served (like six out of every ten cups drunk in the UK).

With Kenya and Britain sharing close historic and political ties, the High Commissioner’s orders are to broaden the relationship into other areas, particularly economic diplomacy, trade and tourism promotion.

“Kenya’s economy is on the verge of ‘take-off,’” says Ngare, who will be scouring the City to attract foreign direct investment in flagship infrastructure and renewable energy projects which form part of the country’s Vision 2030 long-term development blueprint.

Describing Kenya as “the anchor state” of the East African and the Great Lakes region, the High Commissioner sees Kenya’s tranport corridors opening up the Region.

Renewable energy is an area ripe for investment too, from hydroelectricity to the geothermal energy of the Rift Valley.

Businesses can expect a good climate for their investments, he says, from developed infrastructure to rule of law. Corruption, always a deterrent, is being tackled. “The government has zero tolerance for corruption and those found to be corrupt will be removed from office,” he says.

That is good news for Britain’s aid donors whose funds are essential in helping Kenya achieve its MDGs, whether it is in the healthcare sector, combating HIV/Aids and malaria, or in education, helping ensure free primary school education.

Here in the UK, Kenya has around 3,000 Kenyan students. In addition to the student community, there is a significant Kenyan diaspora in the UK, whose welfare is a priority for the High Commissioner. Kenyan citizens in the UK can expect improved consular services as can the thousands of tourists going on “safaris” who need visas (around 200 tourist visas are issued daily).

With London being a diplomatic hub, the High Commissioner also plans to do bilateral work with many countries. And on the multialeral front, there is much to do, from sustainable development, to counter-terrorism and anti-piracy measures.

“We are at the epicentre of the UN’s peace-making and humanitarian activities in Africa, as host to UNEP headquarters and Habitat. We are also an active member of the London-based IMO,” he says.

In the fight against piracy, Kenya is on the frontline. The IMO’s regional Search and Rescue Centre is based in Mombasa and pirates captured in the Indian Ocean are prosecuted in Kenyan courts. “Our jails are filling up with pirates,” explains the High Commissioner, who appeals to the international community for more assistance.

Cooperation on counter-terrorism is also crucial to the country’s security, especially since Kenya shares its boundaries with volatile states. “Since independence, Kenya has been and continues to be a beacon of stability and that is why we see ourselves as a regional peacemaker,” says Ngare.

However, this enviable reputation was tarnished when violence erupted after the disputed elections of 2007.

Since then, Kenya has been working hard to remove that stain from its image, stresses the High Commissioner: “We have already fully recovered from the effects of the 2007 Post-Election Violence.”

The rival parties signed a Power-Sharing National Accord in February 2008 followed by a raft of Commissions to investigate the root causes of the violence.

A South African-style Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission and the Justice Waki Post-Election Violence Commission uncovered that part of the violence was ethnic in nature, inspired by historic grievances. These were inflamed by the media and irresponsible politicians on both sides, explains Ngare.

Unemployment, poverty and tribal differences in the North Rift Valley were also to blame, he adds. “The violence was opportunistic as people used the disputed elections as an excuse to expel communities.”

An independent investigation into Kenya’s electoral system recommended a complete overhaul to ensure that future elections are free and fair, says Ngare.

The recommendations will be enshrined in a new constitution, which will also put checks on executive powers and ensure regional devolution. The draft constitution recently won parliamentary approval and will be put to a referendum in July.