Kenya tries to convince Venson-Moitoi to withdraw
Tefo Pheage | Friday December 16, 2016 15:51
The two countries senior citizens are competing in the highly divisive African Union Commission Chairperson elections, which will be decided next month at the AU summit. The East African Community has agreed to collectively campaign and lobby other African countries in support of Kenya’s bid for the African Union Commission chairperson job.
Kenya has fronted Amina Mohammed, the cabinet secretary for foreign affairs and international trade, for the AU Commission chair while SADC and Botswana has nominated Pelonomi Venson-Moitoi who is the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.
Mmegi is informed that Kenya’s strategy Ministry has resolved to visit Botswana’s candidate’s backyard and have already forwarded their request to Botswana. Impeccable sources say that Mohammed’s team is in a desperate move to hoodwink the Botswana team over various offers. They further believe that invading Botswana’s territory may be significantly beneficial to their campaign and are also said to be of the view that they are the front-runners in the race hence their decision to do everything to maximise their chances.
Venson-Moitoi in a brief interview confirmed receiving a request from Kenya’s Minister to visit Botswana. “I got a call from the Minister of Kenya who said they want to visit us. The purpose, content and type of delegation were not specified and we are still waiting to hear from them. We do not have a problem with meeting the Kenyans because as you may be aware, we have bilateral relations with them,” she told Mmegi.
Asked about whether they will entertain any efforts by the Kenyans to campaign in Botswana or support any request to discuss the AU election with the Kenyans, Venson-Moitoi said they do not have any problem with Kenya. “We will give them an ear but as you may be aware we have our position on issues,” said Venson-Moitoi who performed remarkably at the just-ended first-ever pre-election public debate held in Addis Ababa last week.
Efforts to speak to the Kenyan High Commissioner to Botswana were futile as he was said to be out of the office. His private secretary Joan Muema however said that she does not know of any pending meeting with Botswana. “Our office would be aware of such a meeting, when is the meeting?” she asked. She added that she would engage her boss and revert back to Mmegi at a later stage to which they never did.
It is understood that the Kenyans actually wanted to meet Botswana prior to the AU historic debate to persuade them, among other proposals, to step down but could not find the perfect time to squeeze themselves in Botswana’s schedule.
It is not clear whether Kenya has already visited other candidates’ countries but sources say there is no way they would want to visit Botswana - a country with a strong candidate in comparison - without tackling candidates perceived to be more weaker. This week the Kenyan Embassy toured the Botswana media houses delivering the package enclosed in envelopes over their candidacy. The package sent by the Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta included a personal profile of their candidate and a statement by the President.
Sources say the move and intentions by Kenya has not sat down well with the government, which perceives Kenya’s intentions as undermining Botswana, her track record and potential.
Other candidates contesting to replace outgoing Chairperson Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma of South Africa apart from the two are Moussa Faki Mahamat of Chad, Mba Mokuy of Equatorial Guinea and Abdoulaye Bathily of Senegal.