Winnie Odinga: US is the most divided country but instead of focusing on themselves, they interfere with Africa
Winnie Odinga, the lastborn daughter of Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Alliance leader Raila Odinga, has slammed the US for allegedly interfering with the August 9, 2022, General Election.
Speaking during an interview with Waihiga Mwaura on Citizen TV, Winnie claimed that the US and Western counties have been meddling in the political affairs of African countries to pick leaders.
"You have all these countries, Western countries that have for years interfered with Africa. They interfere with our resources, they interfere with our governance. Look at America right now. America is the most divided I have ever seen but instead of focusing on themselves, they are interfering on the African continent. And all over the continent, they pick different leaders, different things to put money into. And the results leave us our people in extreme poverty, offensive poverty honestly. Because they only do it for their own benefit, not for the benefit of the people," Winnie lamented.
Kenya is US's PlayStation
Asked to substantiate her claim about the US interfering with African affairs, Winnie said that Kenya had bared the brunt of American meddling - likening the interference to a PlayStation.
"It's not the first time I have heard concerns about interference in the election by Western countries and you specifically singled out the US. In fact, Raila Odinga spoke about it at the height of the election period as well. Do you think there was interference in Kenya?" Winnie was asked.
"Absolutely. Kenya is their favourite. Kenya is like their PlayStation. Have you ever worn virtual reality glasses? That is what Kenya is to them. You just put it and you play - we know all their tricks," she responded.
When asked to illustrate the alleged level of interference in the outcome of the presidential elections on a scale of one to 10, Winnie said the interference was at 13 to further put her point across.
She also confidently stated that she could defend her claim in a just court of law.
Raila's meddling claim
Azimio leader, while speaking during the launch of the book ‘Stronger Than Faith’ by Oduor Ong’wen at the National Museum of Kenya on October 5, 2022, alleged that the outcome of the August 9 presidential elections was influenced by foreign powers.
Raila said that foreign powers and multinationals with interests in the country played a role in the loss suffered by the Azimio coalition in the presidential race.
“What we had was a coup d'etat. You even saw the chairman of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission run to announce the results as some of his commissioners denounced the outcome, yet he was celebrated as a hero. They cannot allow that to happen anywhere else in Africa,” Raila said.
“The international community could not condemn Mr Chebukati's actions because they knew what had happened. The African right wing has always been in conspiracy with the international monopoly capital since independence and Kenyans must be prepared to further sacrifice to win this struggle,” he added.
Ong’wen, while echoing Raila's sentiments, said that the Western counties did not want another Magufuli in Africa.
“Our election was not stolen by Kenya. It was an international conspiracy…They long knew what they wanted and that was that they did not want another Magufuli in Africa,” Ong’wen claimed.
US ambassador to Kenya Meg Whitman, while responding to Raila's claims, said that her country had no preferred candidate in the election.
“The US was very clear that this was a Kenyan election by Kenyans for Kenyans. We are here only to be supportive if we can be in terms of transparency and as election observers. But we did not have a preferred candidate,” Whitman said in an interview with the Nation.
