{UAH} AMBASADOR ELKANAH ODEMBO YOU HAVE BEEN FIRED WITH IMEDIATE EFECT Who is next in line?

Kenyatta Fires His Ambassador To The United States Amid Somali Protests

By Somali Rights

 

Washington, DC - A day after hundreds of Somalis demonstrated in front of the Kenyan Embassy in Washington, DC, Kenya has fired its Ambassador to the United States of America, Mr. Elkanah Odembo. Mr. Odembo, who has been Kenya's Ambassador to the United States, was fired altogether without any subsequent diplomatic appointment. The dismissal of Mr. Odembo was done so abruptly that even his replacement has not been confirmed by the Kenyan parliament.

The Kenyan Embassy in the United States sent out a short message through its facebook and twitter handle. The message, posted on social media networks on Tuesday, July 16, 2013, at 4:26pm, read:

'This is to inform that H.E. Elkanah Odembo's tour of duty has come to an end as Kenya's Ambassador to the United States. Pending the arrival of the new Head of Mission, Ambassador Jean Kamau, Deputy Chief of Mission will act as Charge d'Affaires, a.i.

This sudden move has all the indications of a pressure from a campaign led by American citizens of Somali descent to get Kenyan troops out of Somali soil and advocate for an end to Kenyan military funding by the United States and the European Union.

Mr. Odembo comes from the Luo tribe of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga who was instrumental in his appointment to the important position of Ambassador to the United States. He also comes from the Nyanza region of Kenya, where U.S. President Barack Obama's father was born.

A Horn of Africa Analyst put the sudden dismissal of Mr. Odembo this way:'since the Luo are in the opposition, Mr. Kenyatta could not trust a Luo to defend him against the determined campaign against Kenya's massacre in Kismayo.'

A day before his dismissal, Ambassador Odembo spoke to a large crowd of Somali Americans who demonstrated in front of the Kenyan Embassy to show their displeasure with the massacre, displacement and distruction of property committed by the Kenyan armed forces in Kismayo, Somalia. Mr. Odembo assured the protestors that their concerns will be transmitted to the relevant Kenyan authorities. He also followed this up with an e-mail to Somali Rights indicating that he submitted their communication to Nairobi.

Somalis throughout the world, under the auspices of SOMALI RIGHTS, an advocacy organization that has representatives in America, Europe, Africa and the Middle East, will conduct demonstrations across the board. They also retained a human rights lawyer to bring to justice Uhuru Kenyatta and his government for crimes against humanity in Kismayo.

 

           Thé Mulindwas Communication Group
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