UK, Kenya relations on rocky path

Lands Cabinet Secretary Charity Ngilu, her

Transport counterpart Michael Kamau and

 British High Commissioner Dr Christian Turner

during the Sixth Development Partnership

 Forum at a Nairobi hotel Tuesday.

November 19th 2013, By Moses Michira
Kenya: The vote at the UN Security Council that defeated a bid by Kenya to have the criminal cases against its top leadership deferred sank the country’s relations with Britain to a new low.
The focus has now shifted to the implications of lost love between the two nations that enjoyed close ties for decades on the economic front, in which British firms have massive investments in Kenya.
Among the British interests that stand to be exposed in the possible event of a backlash would be firms that do business with the Government such as commercial banks and contractors engaged in development of mega infrastructure projects.
Kenya at the least had hoped that Britain would stand by its bid for a deferral sponsored by the African Union on behalf of President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto.
Leaders allied to the two condemned the eight nations that abstained from voting, including the UK and France, calling them cowards and enemies of a free Kenya.

Already, the Uhuru government has been clear on courting China, and now the Arab states as indicated by the ongoing regional summit, pointing to tough times ahead for firms from the UK and other Western nations.
Uhuru skipped a Commonwealth meeting to attend the Arab conference, giving the strongest statement yet on where his government’s loyalty lay. The Commonwealth meeting brings together all nations that were previous colonies of Britain.
In the latest pointer to the shifting ground, Kenya has floated a Sh20 billion-worth tender for the supply and installation of a security surveillance system, with conditions that the bidders needed to be Chinese firms.
Though the decision to ring-fence the contract to Chinese firms is the subject of a prevailing court case, the State had earlier said China was the sole financier and, therefore, enjoyed a preferential right to execute the contract.
China also won another multi-billion shilling contract to supply police vehicles to security organs that have historically used British-made Land Rovers locally sold through CMC Motors. The police, military and provincial administration were the most important customers for Land Rover and Land Cruiser vehicles.

Essential business
Chery Tiggo was contracted to deliver about 800 vehicles last year, meant to boost policing efforts as government policy on the cars used by officers rapidly changed from being an exclusively UK-auto maker affair.
Some senior police officers are now using Japanese-made Subaru vehicles. State construction projects are almost entirely the preserve of Chinese contractors after edging out other firms that controlled tens of projects.
President Kenyatta is expected to commission the construction of the standard gauge railway line in Mombasa that is expected to run through Nairobi to Malaba. He has already secured funding for the project, which was part of the Sh425 billion-worth bouquet of goodies Kenya received from China in Uhuru’s first official visit to the world’s second largest economy.
As expected, a Chinese contractor would be awarded the project that is to take three years to complete.
In the face of the dimming relations, British High Commissioner to Nairobi Christian Turner threw a spanner in the works before the March General Election when he said his government would maintain only “essential business” with the Uhuru government.
Mr Turner was stating the official position of his government even though the UK Parliament was quick to beat an about-turn immediately after the elections, citing the country’s commercial, military and strategic interests.
In particular, Britain has historically sent 10,000 military men every year to train at a base in Laikipia, where they enjoy unlimited freedoms as they prepare for international assignments like the Iraq war.