The woman who held the State Department’s top Africa post prior to Mr. Johnnie Carson denounced on Wednesday his recent warning to Kenyan voters of possible “consequences” stemming from their choice of president in the March 4 election.
“I am troubled by Johnnie Carson’s statement that is essentially meddling in Kenya’s election,” declared Jendayi Frazer, who served as the Bush administration’s assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs from 2005 to 2009.
“It is very reckless and irresponsible, given that the election is very close, for us to try to intervene in Kenya’s election decision,” Ms Fraser added.
“We should not be threatening Kenyans about their choice by pointing to an ICC case that is not proven.”
“I think the ICC case against Uhuru Kenyatta is a weak one and is based on hearsay,” Ms Fraser added.
Speaking at a Washington think tank forum on Kenya’s election, Ms Frazer questioned the ICC’s legitimacy, saying the court is “a very manipulated institution, particularly by the West”.
Ms Frazer’s stinging criticism of Mr Carson’s “consequences” statement struck some observers as a partisan attack by a Republican Party supporter on a Democratic administration’s leading Africa diplomat.
Ms Frazer’s remarks drew a sharp rejoinder from Karuti Kanyinga, a professor at the University of Nairobi who took part in the forum at the Brookings Institution.
“The ICC is the best thing for Kenya,” Prof Kanyinga said. He described Kenya as “a country where senior and influential people are never held to account for anything whatsoever.”
The ICC serves to warn those suspected of serious crimes that “no matter how far you run, no matter where you go, you will be treated like an ordinary person.”
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