The Electronic Telegraph Thursday 1 June 1995 World News
Barrage of abuse as Leakey enters Kenyan politics
By Louise Tunbridge in Nairobi
President Moi launches attack on 'a foreigner, traitor and atheist'
DR RICHARD Leakey, renowned for his pioneering work on human origins and
wildlife conservation, says he will not be deterred from his new venture
into Kenyan politics by a campaign of abuse against him led by President
Moi.
Dr Leakey, one of the leaders of a new opposition party, said Mr Moi had
been making "outrageous statements, totally contrary to the constitutional
parlance of the head of state". He has attracted a barrage of furious
invective, most of it racial, from the President and his close associates.
Mr Moi, warning of a return to colonialism, said Kenya would never again
be ruled by a white man. He has described Dr Leakey as a foreigner, a
traitor and an atheist.
The ruling party's newspaper, The Kenya Times, last week accused leading
British and American businessmen in the country of hosting members of the
"racist terror organisation" Ku Klux Klan at a luncheon at which Dr Leakey
gave the key address.
Responding to the vilification for what he says is the last time, Dr
Leakey, a third-generation white Kenyan, said he was surprised and worried
by it. "It's very serious. This has brought the worm out of the hole," he
said. "But it's utterly futile and facile to deal with race issues in the
way they're being addressed here now."
Concern that racism being used to obscure the greater issues
Those behind the new party, which has yet to be named and registered, are
concerned that racism is being used to try to obscure the greater issues
in Kenya.
Dr Leakey says he wants to clean up a country ridden by corruption,
mismanagement and failing public services. "What I want to know is why our
schools have no running water and no books, why you can't get a simple
antibiotic anywhere except at selected hospitals, why you can't get a
marriage licence without paying on the side.
"I also want to know why, when someone is arrested, you have to pay to get
the police to take action. Those are the questions I want answered," he
said.
Existing opposition parties have failed to get to grips with these
problems, fighting and losing the 1992 general elections largely on the
basis of personality and tribe. Since then, the ruling Kenya Africa
National Union (Kanu) has further tightened its grip on power.
It has monopolised radio and television, prevented the opposition from
campaigning and invoked many of the restrictive laws, such as sedition,
treason and detention without trial, left over from British colonial rule.
Dr Leakey and his colleagues intend to push for constitutional changes
before the next elections, due in 1997. They say that, unless they are
implemented, they will urge an election boycott.
While the vitriolic attacks on Dr Leakey have left many Kenyans and
observers aghast, few doubt his ability to reinvigorate the opposition,
although he does not intend to run for public office. "That doesn't
interest me," he said. "I'll be past it by then anyway."
Aware he may be a target in a country where political assassinations are
not unknown
His most potent attribute is, perhaps, what he calls his "credibility
factor".
As Dr Leakey himself recognises, outside Kenya he is probably as well
known, if not better known, than President Moi. "I am given the time of
day in the corridors of power in Whitehall, Washington and Paris, not
because I'm white but because of what I've done," he says, with a
characteristic lack of modesty. "By lending my name and my experience and
credibility, we might get some responses that will help get Kenya back on
its feet."
He says he will not hesitate to use his personal friendship with Lady
Chalker, Britain's Overseas Development Minister, whom he met on his
recent trip to Europe, to further his party's objectives.
President Moi has traditionally cast his own regime in the role of
Britain's best friend, often warning that the opposition would kick out
the 35,000 Asians in the country who are British passport holders. But Dr
Leakey says these fears are quite unfounded.
The new party cannot expect an easy ride, especially with the Kenyan
government facing intense criticism from its Western aid donors.
It is rare for a white man to take an active role in Kenyan politics, and
the dangers for one who does are manifold. His colleagues say Dr Leakey
could be stripped of his Kenyan citizenship. He is also aware that he may
be a target in a country where political assassinations are not unknown.
"I wouldn't minimise the dangers," he said, "but I'm not going to be put
off what I believe is the right action."