The U.S. government believed that former Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki did not win the 2007 presidential election, a contest that led to widespread violence. As unrest unfolded, then U.S. President George W. Bush dispatched delegations to mediate the crisis, with negotiations under Kofi Annan about to begin.
Martha Karua, former Justice Minister, reveals in her memoir Against the Tide: My Journey on a Less Trodden Path that during one heated meeting, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice directly told Kibaki that he had lost the election. Karua describes Rice’s tone as disrespectful and condescending, likening it to a superior addressing a subordinate.
In the meeting, attended by Kibaki, Karua, Mutula Kilonzo, and Attorney General Amos Wako, Rice posed sharp questions. When she demanded Karua’s response, the two exchanged terse words, with Karua accusing Rice of undermining Kenya’s dignity. Rice then turned to Kibaki and bluntly stated, “You know Mr. President, you never won.”
Kibaki responded firmly, denying Rice’s assertion and defending his controversial victory. He ended the meeting abruptly, rising from his seat and silencing further discussion. Rice attempted to apologize, but Kibaki dismissed her efforts.
Karua recalls another encounter, before the Annan-led talks, when U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Jendayi Frazer and Ambassador Michael Ranneberger met Kibaki at State House. Frazer allegedly dismissed Kibaki’s claim to victory in a manner Karua found disrespectful. Karua interrupted, asserting that Frazer, as the equivalent of an assistant minister, was Kibaki’s junior and should address him with respect. This confrontation also ended the meeting prematurely.
Karua criticizes the U.S. diplomats’ perceived superiority and meddling in Kenya’s affairs, particularly their threats to deny visas to “hardliners” during the post-election negotiations. She maintains that her interventions were about preserving the dignity of Kenya and its leadership against external interference.
