Kenya to deport Obama critic Corsi- (UPDATED)

The Kenya Government has decided to deport Dr Jerome Corsi, the author of a book critical of US Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama.

Immigration officials have been holding him since Tuesday morning as he was due to launch the book, The Obama Nation: Leftist Politics and the Cult of Personality at Laico Hotel, Nairobi.

He was driven to the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport accompanied by an aide and he is on his way out of the country, according to a source.

Earlier, witnesses said the author was seized by immigration agents and sources told the Daily Nation he was being held at Nyayo House, Nairobi, the headquarters of the Ministry of Immigration.

At the time, a senior immigration official in charge of investigations, Carlos Maluta was quoted by the Associated Press as saying: "We still haven't decided what to do with him."

The book questions Obama’s character and his fitness to run for the White House. It also explores links between the Illinois Senator and Kenya Prime Minister Raila Odinga.

The book is largely seen as a smear campaign meant to undermine the Democratic candidate with charges that his criticism of Mr Obama is anchored on inaccuracies.

A Press invite to Tuesday’s launch read in part: “Dr Corsi will also expose details of deep secret ties between US Democratic presidential candidate Barrack Obama and a section of Kenya Government leaders, their connection to certain sectoral groups in Kenya and subsequent plot to be executed in Kenya should Senator Obama win the American presidency.”

Meanwhile, the management of the hotel that Dr Corsi was scheduled to launch his book has distanced itself from a press conference the American was to address.

In a press release, the hotel said: “We would like to assure our business partners and the public at large that Laico Regency Hotel is a law abiding institution and does not condone any smear campaigns. The management cannot allow such activities to take place.”

It revealed that the booking for the news conference had been made by Peter Mbae, the editor-in-chief of the Eagle Christian magazine.