What to expect while we are expecting, from the Nairobi Star via “LastestKenyaNews”.
The first 250 cables to be released do not include any from the American embassy in Kenya.
However they are expected to start coming out in the next few days.
The Kenyan diplomatic cables go back to 2005 but the majority cover the 2007 elections and the period of the coalition government. There is one cable from May 14,1996.
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It is expected that as the cables will shed light on the thinking behind Michael Ranneberger’s swift congratulatory message to President Kibaki following the December 27, 2007 elections and the subsequent American turnaround to put pressure on the PNU to accept a coalition government.
On one day alone, January 2, 2008, as violence was raging in Kenya, the Nairobi embassy sent five cables to Washington.
Certainly I have wanted to know, and to some extent felt entitled to know, some of what may come out, but at the same time I am concerned about what the real time implications of this material may be in Kenya now. As Americans who are responsible for our own government we need to learn from our recent past–but we can’t change it.
i’m certainly keen to know just what Mr. Ranneberger’s assessment on the election process, what he knew prior to the eruption of violence and circumstances leading to the tragic events. Diplomacy requires some tact but the cables are a source of candor from the American Embassy in Nairobi. It will certainly make for sensational reading, judging from the swift defensive mode adopted by State House following the leaks so far.
Mr. Ranneberger can hardly hide his disdain for Kenyan leadership and I feel strongly he would be well advised not to be cozy, as dealing with the government here onwards will be difficult and tense.