US-Kenya relations 'strong' says envoy

The International Criminal Court building at the Hague. The UN Security Council on November 15, 2013 rejected an African Union demand to suspend the International Criminal Court trial of President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto. PHOTO | FILE  AFP

In Summary

• Some Kenyan officials expressed anger over the US abstention in last month's Security Council vote on the ICC cases
• The two-day diaspora conference had drawn 270 attendees as of mid-day Saturday

By KEVIN J. KELLEY
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Kenya's relations with the United States remain "strong" despite the two countries' disagreement over the ICC cases, the chief of mission at Kenya’s embassy in Washington DC, Jean Kamau, said in Washington on Saturday.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the annual US diaspora conference, Ms Kamau added that she had seen no indication of the "consequences" in relations that a top US diplomat had warned would ensue if Kenyans chose Uhuru Kenyatta and William Ruto as their leaders in the March general election.

"We may not agree on the ICC cases, but in principle we remain strong and committed in our relationship with the US government," the envoy said.

Some Kenyan officials expressed anger over the US abstention in last month's Security Council vote on deferral of the prosecution of President Kenyatta and Deputy President Ruto. (READ: UN rejects bid to stop Uhuru Ruto ICC cases)

The US was one of eight nations on the 15-member council that abstained, thus ensuring that the deferral move would fall short of the nine affirmative votes needed for approval.

INVESTMENT IN KENYA'S FUTURE

The two-day diaspora conference had drawn 270 attendees as of mid-day Saturday. Guests were required to pay a $220 (Sh19,000) registration fee for the event. (READ: Diaspora conference in US to coincide with Kenya celebrations)

"We look at that as an investment members of the diaspora can make," Ambassador Kamau said.

The theme of this year's conference was "Investment and education opportunities."

Attendees were addressed by representatives of several of Kenya's top banks, each of whom urged members of the diaspora to take shares in the country's future.

Njuguna Ndung'u, governor of the Central Bank of Kenya, told the conference that development of the country's infrastructure is of greater importance to Kenya's long-term prosperity than the discovery of oil in Turkana.