Kenyan leader pledges free and fair elections in 2013

    NAIROBI, Aug. 4 (Xinhua) -- Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki on Saturday reassured the world that the forthcoming general elections will be free and fair devoid of violence witnessed in the 2007/2008.
   Speaking during a meeting with visiting U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton in Nairobi, Kibaki also reassured the international community that the process of implementing the constitution is on track as all the necessary laws prescribed for the first two years have been passed.
   "So much has happened since you last visited Kenya in 2009. What, however stands out above all other developments is the promulgation of our new constitution in August 2010," Kibaki said according to a statement issued in Nairobi after the meeting.
   Clinton who arrived in Nairobi from Kampala, Uganda is holding talks with Kenyan leaders to emphasize her support for transparent, credible, nonviolent national elections in 2013.
   She is also due to hold talks with President Sheikh Sharif and other signatories to the Roadmap to End the Transition to underscore Washington support for completing the political transition in Somalia by Aug.20.
   The American top diplomat is on an 11-day tour of Africa from Aug 4th. She has been to Uganda, South Sudan and Senegal.
   Already, Kenyan political parties are currently positioning themselves for the first-ever election since the passing of a new Kenyan constitution in 2010.
   The East African nation faces real risk to stability from challenges related to constitution implementation particularly a contested devolution system; tensions and divisions spawned by the dynamics of tackling the entrenched culture of impunity relating to the 2007/08 post polls violence  ahead of the first general election under the new legal regime in March 2013.
   The country also faces challenges related to resurgence of militias such as the Mombasa Republican Council (MRC) and the potential threats they posed to the forthcoming elections and the internal risks to stability posed by Kenya's external war on the Al-Shabaab in Somalia.
   The new constitution was created as a tool to avoid a repeat of the violence that was also blamed on the lack of a transparent political structure and credible state institutions, including the courts.
   Meanwhile, President Mwai Kibaki has welcomed the decision by the U.S Congress to extend the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) preferential trade programme by three years, in a move that will secure thousands of jobs for Kenyan workers in the textile sector.
   President Kibaki said the AGOA extension will lead to an expansion in exports from Kenya and the whole of Africa to the U.S. markets besides promoting a high-level dialogue on trade and investment-related issues.
   Kibaki observed that the Act which was signed into law 12 years ago encouraged economic integration and has stimulated job growth in the country.
   During the discussions, President Kibaki also welcomed America's new strategy towards Sub-Saharan Africa unveiled by President Barrack Obama in June this year focusing on the Continent's economic potential to open up new avenues for strategic partnership for prosperity.
   He expressed gratitude to the Obama administration for extending assistance through the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief programme that has augmented the government efforts to address the HIV/AIDS pandemic.
   Data from the U.S. embassy in Kenya indicates that the U.S. exports to Kenya in 2011 topped 464 million dollars, up from 365 million dollars in 2010, representing a 27 percent increase while Kenya's exports to the U.S. in 2011 grew by 23 percent compared to the previous year to reach 382 million dollars.
   Last month, Kenya's Trade Minister Moses Wetangula said Nairobi desires to upscale engagement with Washington especially in terms of trade and investment.
   Wetangula said Kenya wants to double trade between the two countries within the next six years by fully exploiting the AGOA trade agreement.
   "It is not difficult to boost trade because the foundation is already there and all that is required is enablers, polices and access to each other," the minister said on July 18 during a joint media briefing with visiting U.S. delegation to Kenya led by Deputy National Security Advisor for International Economics Michael Froman.
   Wetangula said that that the east African region is currently in the midst of making huge discoveries of oil and gas, a development that is expected to boost economies of the countries in the region. AGOA is a preferential market access system given to specific countries in Africa and the Caribbean by the United States.
   The forum is meant to connect African and American businesses with mutual interests specific to energy, transportation, and water and Sanitation sectors.
   The conference will also showcase U.S. business expertise to potential African clients, and highlight trade and investment opportunities in Africa to U.S. investors.
   AGOA is a preferential market access system given to specific countries in Africa and the Caribbean by the United States.
   The forum is meant to connect African and American businesses with mutual interests specific to energy, transportation, and water and Sanitation sectors.
   The conference will also showcase U.S. business expertise to potential African clients, and highlight trade and investment opportunities in Africa to U.S. investors.  (Xinhua))