USA: U.S Secretary of State Clinton applauds Kenyan vote, looks to upcoming election in Nigeria

Record ID: 454520

  • Title: USA: U.S Secretary of State Clinton applauds Kenyan vote, looks to upcoming election in Nigeria
  • Date: 6th August 2010
  • Summary: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES (AUGUST 5, 2010) (REUTERS) ( ** BEWARE FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY **) U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE HILLARY CLINTON AND NIGERIAN FOREIGN MINISTER HENRY ODEIN AJUMOGOBIA WALKING INTO ROOM (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE HILLARY CLINTON SAYING: "This was the first time that Kenyans have participated in a national poll since the violence that followed the disputed 2007 presidential election. Constitutional reform is the centerpiece of the reform agenda that Kenya has adopted for itself. It is aimed at addressing the underlying causes of violence and I commend the people of Kenya for participating in large numbers and exercising their right to vote in a peaceful manner. While the final results are not in, it appears that about two thirds of Kenyans have voted in favor of their new constitution. This is an indication that a very strong majority of Kenyans have voted for fundamental change." U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE HILLARY CLINTON AND NIGERIAN FOREIGN MINISTER HENRY ODEIN AJUMOGOBIA (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE HILLARY CLINTON SAYING: "The sustainability of democracy lies in the hands of the Nigerian people. I am very--, I'm very optimistic about Nigeria's future. I think Nigeria has a tremendous potential, but I do believe over the past 50 years, 30 of which, as the minister reminded me, were under military rule, has undermined the progress that the Nigerian people are capable of making for themselves. So the appointment of the new election commission, the appointment of a well-respected chair, the steps that he and the commission are taking, the commitment by President Jonathan to a free, fair, credible election. All of those are very important commitments and we're going to stand ready to assist in any way that we can." U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE HILLARY CLINTON AND NIGERIAN FOREIGN MINISTER HENRY ODEIN AJUMOGOBIA SHAKING HANDS (SOUNDBITE) (English) NIGERIAN FOREIGN MINISTER HENRY ODEIN AJUMOGOBIA SAYING: "Free and fair elections in Nigeria are in Nigeria's own interest. The commitment is not because the United States has asked us to do this, but because it is in Nigeria's own interest to do so. We welcome whatever support in terms of training, training support for those that ad hoc (inaudible) personnel who are going to be conducting elections. We welcome support in logistics. It's a large country, the United States is a large country. There's a lot of experience that you have in conducting elections over a very long period. We haven't had that tradition for much of the last 50 years. But I see this in the context of a condition precedent, if you like, for us to deepen the relationship that we have with the United States. And so we will do what we have to do to ensure that we are respected and that our processes are respected, and so that our leadership is respected." CLINTON AND AJUMOGOBIA WALKING OUT OF ROOM
  • Embargoed: 21st August 2010 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Usa
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVAB0YPOL4L752Q1AWEBJFLRW42S
  • Story Text: U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Thursday (August 5) applauded Kenyans' participation in a vote to reform the country's constitution and welcomed Nigeria's preparations for a presidential election expected in 2011.
    Kenyans voted in favor of a new constitution in a peaceful referendum that could reshape the political landscape of east Africa's largest economy, according to partial results published on Thursday. With provisional results from about half of the country's 210 constituencies released by the electoral authority, 67 percent of Kenyans had backed the charter, making it extremely unlikely the "No" camp could catch up.
    "I commend the people of Kenya for participating in large numbers and exercising their right to vote in a peaceful manner. While the final results are not in, it appears that about two thirds of Kenyans have voted in favor of their new constitution. This is an indication that a very strong majority of Kenyans have voted for fundamental change," Clinton told reporters after a meeting with Nigerian Foreign Minister Henry Odein Ajumogobia.
    The referendum comes two years after allegations over vote-rigging in a presidential election ignited violence that killed 1,300 people and pushed the country of about 40 million people to the brink of anarchy.
    Clinton also focused her comments on Nigeria's upcoming 2011 presidential election, which is shaping up to be the most fiercely contested since the end of military rule just over a decade ago.
    "The sustainability of democracy lies in the hands of the Nigerian people. So the appointment of the new election commission, the appointment of a well-respected chair, the steps that he and the commission are taking, the commitment by President Jonathan to a free, fair, credible election. All of those are very important commitments and we're going to stand ready to assist in any way that we can," Clinton said.
    Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan recently appointed an electoral commission and chairman in reforms meant to avoid a repeat of the chaos of 2007, when the first handover of power from one civilian president to another but was so marred by ballot-stuffing and voter intimidation that observers deemed it not to have been credible.
    Minister Ajumogobia reiterated Nigeria's dedication to free and fair elections in Africa's most populous nation.
    "Free and fair elections in Nigeria are in Nigeria's own interest. The commitment is not because the United States has asked us to do this, but because it is in Nigeria's own interest to do so....We will do what we have to do to ensure that we are respected and that our processes are respected, and so that our leadership is respected," Ajumogobia said.
    The Nigerian presidential election is expected to take place in January, 2011.
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