Barack Obama to impose US travel bans on Kenyan political leaders
Tristan McConnell in Nairobi
An opposition supporter during a rally against President Mwai Kibaki's disputed re-election
President Obama has taken unprecedented action against the country of his African ancestors, warning 15 Kenyan officials, including serving ministers, that they will be banned from travelling to the United States unless they accept reforms.
A letter signed by Americas top Africa diplomat accuses the Kenyans of blocking measures promised when about 1,500 people were killed in riots following disputed elections in 2007.
The reforms were designed to fix the discredited electoral commission, end arbitrary rule, stop human rights abuses by police and the military and halt the corruption with which Kenya has become synonymous.
I am writing to inform you that your future relationship with the United States is linked to your support for urgent implementation of the reform agenda as well as opposition to the use of violence, wrote Johnnie Carson, Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs.
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Announcing the move in Nairobi, the US Ambassador would not reveal the names of the officials nor whether the letters recipients included Mwai Kibaki, the President, and Raila Odinga, the Prime Minister. However, Michael Ranneberger said that the list included ministers, members of Parliament, permanent secretaries, and other prominent officials.
The 15 are split almost evenly between the two main parties in the coalition Government, Mr Kibakis Party of National Unity and Mr Odingas Orange Democratic Movement.
The letters we have sent, with more to come, will be followed by travel bans in the coming weeks, Mr Ranneberger said. The bans could extend to family members, which will horrify many officials with relatives and children living and studying in the US.
Kenyas 94 ministers and MPs are among the highest paid in the world, taking home around £9,000 a month. Transatlantic shopping trips for MPs and their families are a commonplace luxury far out of reach of ordinary Kenyans, a third of whom live on less than 80p a day.
Elsewhere in Africa, the US has imposed travel bans on members of President Mugabes Government in Zimbabwe and Omar al-Bashirs Government in Sudan. Joining such company would be a further blow to Kenyas reputation and mark a low point for a country that had hoped for privileged ties with the Obama Administration based on kinship.
In addition, Washington will more closely scrutinise any proposals for Kenya in international financial institutions, said Mr Ranneberger. This could threaten Kenyas access to loans from the likes of the World Bank but the ambassador said that US aid to the country would not be affected.
These letters put people on notice, said Mr Ranneberger. It is in essence no business as usual.
Kenya has been high on Washingtons agenda since Mr Obama whose father was Kenyan came to office. Mr Carson has visited Kenya twice this year while Hillary Clinton, the Secretary of State, made it her first stop during her Africa tour in August.
Pointedly, however, Mr Obama chose Ghana for his first visit to sub-Saharan Africa, a country which, unlike Kenya, held peaceful and democratic elections recently.
In August Mrs Clinton told Mr Kibaki and Mr Odinga that the US would act if reforms were not implemented.
Mr Ranneberger said that nothing had yet been done. The people we have sent letters to are not thugs, they are not criminals, [but] you cant talk forever. You have to act. Weve been talking to these individuals for a long time and havent seen any action.
Mr Ranneberger said that the letters were a reflection of growing frustration in Washington at the highest levels that despite all the rhetoric and commissions and talk, not much has happened. Last year Kofi Annan, the former UN Secretary-General, brokered a peace deal between Mr Odinga and Mr Kibaki, brought an end to the politically-incited killings and inaugurated a power-sharing government.
As part of the deal, a schedule of constitutional, electoral, judicial, security, land and economic reforms was laid out and a domestic tribunal was to be established to judge those most responsible for organising the violence.
The International Criminal Court in The Hague promised to start an investigation if moves were not made towards setting up a local tribunal and earlier this week Kenya admitted that it would fail to meet the September 30 deadline set by Luis Moreno-Ocampo, the chief prosecutor.
Mr Ranneberger said that justice was a key element of reforms: Seeking to bring about reform goes against 45 years of the culture of impunity.
Your Comments
13 Comments
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Yonatan Goodman wrote:
I agree with the last comment! The only structure that is likely to motivate change in Kenya is economic. A sudden change in the financial relationship between workers and government officials perhaps through increasing domestic industry and a larger middle class is more likely to effect change than a meaningless piece of paper, only intended to score points on a list of US foreign policy ambitions.
What is needed is for the people to become empowered; then the people will need to decide what it is good for them. Foreign interest is no interest that can help Kenya
September 25, 2009 11:30 AM BST
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ciku onyango wrote:
I'm Kenyan and witnessed the horror of the post election violence. I also know that our 'leaders' are very arrogant. All they will say to this, is 'Kenya is my heaven' and ignore the real issues. They should not only be banned but their foreign assets sold to compensate victims (who are still languishing in camps in Naivasha and Nakuru) and their children removed from the schools they are attending in the UK and US!!! Some real action to bite them where it will hurt. The talk and threats will do nothing!
September 25, 2009 11:24 AM BST
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Prudence Eely Bond McGuire wrote:
It is astounding how much information my critics can get from one simple quote.
Enough it seems to be able to hurl subjective insults a plenty.
Would I was as clever, well, maybe not.
I think the word hypocrite is firmly on the other feet(plural of course).
Good luck guys in grinding me down.
Believe it will not happen in my lifetime.I note the postings are by the 'Usual Suspects'.
September 25, 2009 11:22 AM BST
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John Iteshi wrote:
The first sentence is misleading! Kenya is not only a country of his ancestors, but simply his Country of originally or euphemistically his fatherland or father's country!
Self-righteous White men must stop deceiving the world by twisting facts here and there to cover the most powerful man on earth.
President Obama has materialised so there is no longer any need at all to twist anything.
The fact is that he would have claimed his homestead and his own portion of land in Kenya, if his mother was Ugandan or if Kenya were in the economic position of America and America as backward as Kenya. The fact is that President Obama is a natural Kenyan as well as an American!
September 25, 2009 9:36 AM BST
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Eddy Maybe wrote:
Surprised they didn't add Eritrea to the list for suppyling Al Shabaab with arms in Somalia. The International community needs to deal with this before it gets even further out of hand.
September 25, 2009 9:11 AM BST
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J Wagner wrote:
Obama is a hypocrite, why not do the same to Iranians, Egyptians, Israelis, Palestinians and other countries beset by violence. It is because he knows Africa can be pushed around without any major repercussions
September 25, 2009 8:25 AM BST
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Iain Allan wrote:
Until the Americans have the courage to name the criminal element, which exists within the Kenyan government, statements such as this are worthless. The people of Kenya deserve to have this information. The blatant arrogance, which exists in the Kenyan government knows no bounds. They will continue to manipulate international feeling with the same ease that they manipulate their own people.
International pressure, together with the will of the ICC in the Hague, is the only chance Kenyans have of ridding our beautiful country of this criminal/gangster menace, which continues to dominate Kenyan politics.
It is time to stop the talk America. If you have the evidence, lay it out before us. Tell us, and the world, who they are.
Iain
Nairobi
September 25, 2009 6:57 AM BST
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Jimmy C wrote:
Unfortunately, this McGuire just isn't prudent! 'Hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.' Matthew 7:5 - HOLY BIBLE
September 25, 2009 3:25 AM BST
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kezzer kezzer wrote:
"The meak shall inherit the earth....as long as its ok with everyone else"....hehe..Scriptures....
September 25, 2009 1:27 AM BST
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Martin Everett wrote:
What about if your house encourages deceit and violence, Prudence? Ever think about that? I suspect God takes a pretty dim view of that instead. |