Nairobi (AFP) - Kenya on
Thursday accused the US development agency USAID of trying to
"destabilise" the country by financing anti-government demonstrations.
"The consistent plans to
destabilise the current government will not be tolerated... especially
where activists are bribed to tarnish the country's and leaders'
reputation regionally and internationally," he said in a statement.The
chairman of National Security Advisory Committee (NSAC), Francis
Kimemia, accused USAID of financing "clandestinely planned"
demonstrations held to "pour vitriol" on the nation's parliament.
"It is a matter of
national interest that USAID responds to these reports," he added,
recalling that there were "international protocols that regulate
tolerance or expulsion of agencies that undermine the sovereignty of a
legitimate and democratic government."
The Kenyan government,
he said, had "credible intelligent documents and information detailing
how the US donor agency has consistently funded demonstrations by
activists."
The furious statement
came hours after civil society activists demonstrated in Nairobi to
protest against alleged government corruption, lack of safety in public
places, high unemployment and poverty.
The demonstration, attended by several hundred protestors, was broken up by police using teargas and its organiser arrested.
In a statement, the US
embassy in Nairobi denied the allegations, insisting Washington was "a
strong and committed partner of the Government of Kenya and has been so
for 50 years."
"Allegations... that the
Government of the United States seeks to 'undermine' or 'destabilise'
the Government of Kenya are false," it said.
Relations between Kenya
and Somalia have been tense since the election last year of President
Uhuru Kenyatta and Vice-President William Ruto, who are facing charges
from the International Criminal Court of crimes against humanity related
to election violence in 2007-2008.
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