US denies plans to destabilize Kenya

The U.S. government on Thursday refuted allegations that it is planning to undermine and destabilize the Kenyan government. U.S. Ambassador to Kenya Robert F. Godec said the statement by Kenya's National Security Advisory Committee (NSAC) that Washington seeks to "undermine" or "destabilize" the government of Kenya is false. "The Government of the United States is a strong and committed partner of the government of Kenya and has been so for 50 years," Godec said in a statement issued in Nairobi. "Reflecting the U.S. commitment to our partnership, we work with the Kenyan government and civil society throughout the country on security, health, education, conflict prevention, agriculture, and in many other areas," he added. The East African country's top security organ has accused the U. S. development agency of planning to destabilize the government by sponsoring streets demonstrations. A statement from Cabinet Secretary Francis Kimemia said Kenya's NSAC has asked the Foreign Ministry to urgently summon the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) officials to give more information over its plans to topple the government using activists. "NSAC is in possession of credible intelligent documents and information detailing how the U.S. donor agency has consistently funded the demonstrations by activists," Kimemia said in the statement on Thursday. Kimemia warned that the consistent plans to destabilize the current government will not be tolerated at any costs, especially where activists are sustainably bribed to tarnish the country's and leaders' reputation regionally and internationally. However, Godec said the American government including USAID, coordinates its activities in Kenya in a transparent manner and in collaboration with the Government of Kenya. "We have always and will continue to share information about our programs with the Kenyan government," Godec said. The statement came as the police brutally dispersed a group of demonstrators who tried to march to Parliament to express their anger against poor governance and high cost of living in the country. The demonstrations were led by activists Timothy Njoya and Boniface Mwangi, whom the security organ had accused of getting funding from USAID to bring down the government. Njoya said Kenya was part of the global village, adding that they were free to can work with any nation. "Kenya is a global village, we all work together," he said. The two activists were leading demonstrators to Parliament when they were tear-gassed as they approached Freedom Corner after police outlawed the protest. Nairobi police commander Benson Kibue had earlier said the police will not allow the protest to go on due to security threats as it might be hijacked by terrorists to cause mayhem in the city. "We will not allow them to hold the demo because there are so many security threats in the city in terms of terrorism. We have told them to hold on a bit until these threats are eliminated," Kibue told Xinhua by telephone. The protest, known as "State of the Nation", was brief held in Nairobi streets before the police dispersed the protesters. The organizers said they wanted to protest against pertinent issues such as rising cases of corruption in government, insecurity, unemployment, poverty, mutilation of the constitution and poor leadership in the country. The activists have requested their colleagues to wear black t- shirts, a roll of tissue paper and a Kenyan flag.