US slaps visa ban on govt official

• US imposes visa sanctions on top official it accuses of blocking reforms and failing, for 15 years, to deal with grand corruption

Mr Wetang’ula criticised the US action and said there was a better way of doing things.

He said the US ambassador had informed him that a senior official had been banned from travelling to the US.

“If the visa was in place, under international law, the US has a right to withdraw it but it is out of order if the person in question had not applied for it,” he said.

He said the government was on course with reforms.

Mr Carson said he had met Internal Security minister George Saitoti to express concern over reports of fresh arming of militia in Rift Valley and rising ethnic tensions.

Announcing the ban at the US ambassador’s residence in Muthaiga, Nairobi, Mr Carson, himself a former US ambassador to Kenya, said: “Today, the US government has taken the decision to revoke the visa of a senior Kenyan government official who has been obstructive to reforms.”

His government had decided to target individuals whom it considered to be hindering Agenda Four reforms.

“We have focused our attention on individuals who have not used their offices well. We have had enough talk, we want action,” he said in the company of the ambassador, Mr Michael Ranneberger.

Mr Carson said he was delivering a message from President Obama and Mrs Clinton who were determined to see that Kenya did not return to violence at the next election.

Last month President Kibaki wrote to President Obama protesting at the targeting of individuals in his government after the US sent letters to officials warning them that they faced visa sanctions if they continued blocking reforms.

“This is a powerful signal because the individual cannot travel to the US for business or personal pleasure. The US is prepared to impose visa bans on those who stand against reforms. We hope other countries will follow.”

The European Union and the United Kingdom, which retains some influence because of historical and economic ties, have been applying pressure on the government to move faster on the reforms included in the National Accord.

On the banned individual, Mr Carson said: “The name, and those of others will be made public soon.”

He listed reforms he considered urgent as those that would halt corruption in government, hold top government officials accountable, punish key post-election violence suspects, streamline the Judiciary and electoral reforms.

He saluted the change of guard at Vigilance House with the departure of Maj-Gen Ali and his replacement as by Mr Mathew Iteere.