- US and UK governments said they have been supplied with evidence by the investors which have occasioned them not to have a conducive working environment.
- The shakedown has led to the foreign governments to act more decisively on issuing visa bans and revocations.
Image: FILE
The United States and United Kingdom governments are said to have received numerous complaints from their investors in Kenya who are in constant shakedowns by government officials.
A diplomatic source familiar with the plans of the US and British governments while speaking on condition of anonymity, said they have been supplied with evidence by the investors which have occasioned them not to have a conducive working environment.
“The US and UK governments in particular have received numerous complaints from American and British investors in Kenya about near constant shakedowns of foreign investors,” the source said.
The shakedown has led to the foreign governments to act more decisively on issuing visa bans and revocations.
The source said the governments have readied a list of Kenyan government officials to target in an anti-corruption crackdown in East Africa with Kenyans targeted including well known politicians at national and county level, as well as their advisors and spouses.
“The visa bans on Kenyan officials has been in process for months and have been accelerated by the current Gen Z protests in Kenya that call out politicians for unexplained wealth, like luxury cars and homes, as well as their children who live in expensive properties abroad,” the source said.
The US state department spokesman Matthew Miller in an earlier statement said impunity allows corrupt officials to stay in power, slows the pace of development, facilitates crime and causes unequal distribution of resources, which can affect underrepresented and underserved populations disproportionally.
The State Department relies on Section 7031(c) of the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programmes Appropriations Act, 2024 (Div. F, P.L. 118-47) to remove visas on corrupt foreign officials.
Miller in his X space wrote “In a call with Kenyan President Ruto, @SecBlinken emphasised the importance of reducing tension and ensuring security services demonstrate restraint and refrain from violence. The US will remain a steadfast partner of Kenya’s government and people as they address economic challenges”.
In response to the post, Paul Muite SC wrote “SecBlinken; you failed to mention corruption, Kenya’s cancer since 1963 and rapidly worsening”.
On June 2, the US issued sanctions against five Uganda public officials, among them Speaker of Parliament Anita Among and former Deputy Chief of Defense Forces in a crackdown on corruption and human rights violation.
This came just a month after the UK announced similar sanctions against the leader of the National Assembly and two ex-ministers.
The US State Department, in a statement dated May 30 this year, said Among was placed under sanctions due to her involvement in significant corruption tied to her leadership of Uganda’s parliament.
The UK sanctions have triggered investigations, with multiple state agencies and officials.