KENYA: Attorney general planning to take legal action against the United States for revoking his visa, defamation

Record ID: 361830

  • Title: KENYA: Attorney general planning to take legal action against the United States for revoking his visa, defamation
  • Date: 5th November 2009
  • Summary: NAIROBI, KENYA (NOVEMBER 4, 2009) (REUTERS) KENYA'S ATTORNEY GENERAL, AMOS WAKO ARRIVING FOR THE NEWS CONFERENCE PHOTOGRAPHER (SOUNDBITE) (English) AMOS WAKO, KENYA'S ATTORNEY GENERAL, SAYING: "In view of the reasons given which are clearly defamatory, it is my intention to seek legal action, no, no - legal advice with the view of instituting legal proceedings in the Un
  • Embargoed: 20th November 2009 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Kenya
  • Country: Kenya
  • Topics: International Relations,Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA1LQ3C842NXN3T8UE6EJUQWNPP
  • Story Text: Kenya's attorney general Amos Wako said on Wednesday (November 4) he planned to seek legal action against the United States because the reasons it gave for revoking his visa were defamatory.
    The United States confirmed on Sunday (November 1) that it had issued Wako, who has been Kenya's top government lawyer since 1991, with a travel ban because he is considered an obstacle to the fight against corruption in east Africa's biggest economy.
    "In view of the reasons given which are clearly defamatory, it is my intention to seek legal action, no, no - legal advice with the view of instituting legal proceedings in the United States of America. I want to take the war there," Wako said.
    The main Kenyan government lawyer reprimanded the United States over its decision to revoke his visa on the grounds that he was a stumbling block to reforms.
    "I am totally indifferent to the revocation of the visa and have absolutely no desire to visit the United States of America," added Wako.
    Ending a culture of impunity in a country where corruption is almost endemic is seen by international donors has a crucial step towards avoiding a repeat of last year's post-election violence at the next presidential election in 2012.
    Wako has been criticised for failing to prosecute the perpetrators of the post-election violence that killed at least 1,300 people, and for not nailing the architects of several audacious corruption scams worth hundreds of millions of dollars.
    Wako said the letter he had received revoking his visa accused him of "corrupt actions which have adversely affected the national interests of the United States of America".
    Wako defended his record saying he had consistently been a driver for reform within government, even during difficult times, and that the U.S. decision had been made in "bad faith".
    One of the most infamous graft cases is the "Anglo Leasing" scam in which Kenyan state contracts worth hundreds of millions of dollars were awarded to non-existent firms.
    The scam involved payments of government money to shadowy foreign companies for services ranging from forgery-proof passports to naval ships and forensic laboratories -- which never materialised.
    Kenya asked Britain's Serious Fraud Office to investigate some of the fictitious contracts, but it ended the probe because Kenya failed to provide evidence.
    In February, the head of Kenya's anti-graft body accused the High Court of blocking its efforts to fight corruption by ordering a halt to the Anglo Leasing investigation.
    Wako also blamed the United States for hindering the Anglo Leasing investigation by failing to secure the cooperation of potentially key witnesses who are American citizens.
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