Amid anti-government protests led by opposition chief Raila Odinga, US President Joe Biden on Wednesday, March 29 sent a delegation to Kenya to broker a ceasefire.
The high-powered delegation was led by Delaware Senator and experienced political mediator Chris Coons.
Senator Coons is not new in Kenya owing to the previous roles he played in brokering peace in the country after disputed elections.
When Raila Odinga contested the 2017 presidential elections results and the country plunged into political tension and uncertainty, it was Senator Chris Coons who pushed for the handshake between former President Uhuru Kenyatta and Raila Odinga.
The peace deal between former President Uhuru Kenyatta would then result in the famous handshake which gave birth to a political alliance between Uhuru and Raila to the run-up to 2022 General Election which Raila narrowly lost to Ruto.
Kenya is a gateway to East Africa and a regional economic powerhouse, an attribute that has earned her a special position in both Eastern and Western countries' tables.
Signs were clear that the country was headed for a peace deal after Raila Odinga and Rigathi Gachagua issued statements upon meeting Coons in Nairobi.
“We had a fruitful discussion on the importance of upholding the constitution and the rule of law in all activities and agreed to keep the channels of communication open,” Raila noted in a statement.
“We had consultations to further strengthen ties between the two nations, especially in trade, partnership in security, and democracy, among others key issues of mutual interest,” Gachagua revealed.
What goes in the minds of many observers is the unique attributes and capabilities of Senator Coons in his leadership and administrative journey that has made him entrusted by his country to mediate peace in fragile situations.
A lawyer by profession, Senator Coons has served as the Senator of Delaware since 2010.
Senator Coons is a close and personal friend of US president Joe Biden and they all hail from the same state of Delaware.
Despite not being a member of the executive, Senator Coons sits at the Secretary of State’s Office.
Coons has earned a reputation of finding bipartisan solutions on many problems facing the people of Delaware and beyond.
On job creation, Senator Coons is a vocal advocate and legislation in America.
Senator Coons also aspires to become a secretary of state of the United States of America, this is a senior position in the US which deals with America’s foreign policy which usually shapes many events worldwide.
The announcement by President William Ruto and ODM leader Raila Odinga on Sunday, April 2, regarding the start of a bipartisan approach in parliament and calling off demonstrations was attributed to Coons' mediation efforts after he met the DP and the opposition chief.
"The biggest game changer here is not the church, the religious sector, or the political class. It is the American senator Chris Coons. He went and talked to everybody and told them to stand down," revealed Daadab legislator Farah Maalim.
