US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Friday gave a subtle response when asked about the role of his country in the meeting between President Uhuru Kenyatta and NASA leader Raila Odinga.
Speaking during a press briefing alongside Foreign Affairs CS Monica Juma, Tillerson stated that all the credit should go to the leaders and not the US.
"We really want to give them the credit. This was a very important action on their part.
"To show they are ready to work for all Kenyans regardless of party and begin to take this long journey that's necessary to restore the country, eliminate these divisions that are creating obstacles to Kenya's future," stated Tillerson.
[caption caption="CS Monica Juma and US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson"]
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He further expressed his delight at the agreement reached by Kenyatta and Odinga, pledging full support of the US government.
“Both of these men show great leadership, in coming together in the agreement they signed today.
“The United States looks forward to supporting the process that was announced this morning to bring the country together, and to address the various national divisions,” he added.
Tillerson also spared some time to criticize the recent media shut down, saying the government needs to correct such actions, stressing the importance of independent media.
“We believe that there are actions that need to be taken in Kenya and that they need to correct certain actions, like shutting down TV stations and threatening the independence of the courts.
“I know Kenya takes these matters seriously. A free and independent media is essential to safeguarding democracy and giving all Kenyans confidence in their government,” he stated.
[caption caption="President Uhuru Kenyatta and Rex Tillerson at State House"]
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