Start Date: Friday, May 25, 2001
Last Modified: Monday, May 4, 2020
End Date: Friday, December 31, 9999
SECRETARY POWELL: I met with Ministers, some opposition leaders, some civil society representatives, and we had a rather spirited discussion -- which was getting better as the time went on -- on the situation in Kenya with respect to democracy, with respect to the election next year. As you might expect, the opposition wants more assistance from outside agencies and from government to give them access to radio and television and other ways of communicating with potential voters. I encouraged them to keep having this open debate among themselves about how to move forward. There was a great deal of interest expressed in the consitiutional revision that will take place next year and expectation that it will be finished in time so it will not delay the election next year. I told them the United States would do everything we could to help them in this continuing evolution of their democracy, that we would be looking with great interest at what happens next year. We�ll be looking for transparency, we�ll be looking for access to information. We�ll be looking to every effort on the part of the government to allow there to be full, fair and vigorous opposing points of view presented through the political structure that exists in Kenya. So it was a good conversation. As somebody said, "Well, you know we can�t have too big a fight in front you. You�re family, and we�re going to get through this. Kenya will be fine at the other end of this process.", and expressed their appreciation that I and my delegation took time to hear these opposing points of view. Now I�ve got to race over to the Embassy, so thank you very much. QUESTION: Have you received assurances from President Moi that he will step down? SECRETARY POWELL: I think the answer that he gave earlier is a pretty good statement of ---
SECRETARY POWELL: I met with Ministers, some opposition leaders, some civil society representatives, and we had a rather spirited discussion -- which was getting better as the time went on -- on the situation in Kenya with respect to democracy, with respect to the election next year. As you might expect, the opposition wants more assistance from outside agencies and from government to give them access to radio and television and other ways of communicating with potential voters. I encouraged them to keep having this open debate among themselves about how to move forward.
There was a great deal of interest expressed in the consitiutional revision that will take place next year and expectation that it will be finished in time so it will not delay the election next year. I told them the United States would do everything we could to help them in this continuing evolution of their democracy, that we would be looking with great interest at what happens next year. We�ll be looking for transparency, we�ll be looking for access to information. We�ll be looking to every effort on the part of the government to allow there to be full, fair and vigorous opposing points of view presented through the political structure that exists in Kenya.
So it was a good conversation. As somebody said, "Well, you know we can�t have too big a fight in front you. You�re family, and we�re going to get through this. Kenya will be fine at the other end of this process.", and expressed their appreciation that I and my delegation took time to hear these opposing points of view. Now I�ve got to race over to the Embassy, so thank you very much.
QUESTION: Have you received assurances from President Moi that he will step down?
SECRETARY POWELL: I think the answer that he gave earlier is a pretty good statement of ---
Colin Powell
Remarks to the Press
Remarks following Round-Table Meeting with Kenyan Civil and Political Leaders
05/26/01