US BANS KENYA ATTORNEY GENERAL, 12 OTHERS

NIGERIA JUSTICE MINISTER AND AG. MICHAEL AONDOAKAA.

- DEPT OF STATE SAYS NO PLANS YET ON NIGERIA’S AONDOAKAA AND CORRUPT POLITICIANS.

San Francisco (THEWILL) – Kenya's attorney general Amos Wako and 12 others have been handed a travel ban by the United States. US dept of state official, Russell Brooks in a chat with THEWILL confirmed that letters have been sent to those affected but would not disclose the names of the persons. However, THEWILL checks show that attorney general Wako has been notified.  

Wako is serving in his 18^th year as attorney general and is targeted for obstruction in the fight against corruption. He has been criticized for not prosecuting several politicians for stealing millions of dollars belonging to Kenyan people, and for failing to prosecute politicians that instigated the post-election violence that resulted in many deaths in 2008.

The ban is an output of the US government’s displeasure over the parties’ inability to implement crucial reforms agreed to after the electoral violence in 2008. America has consistently criticized the Kenyan government for not doing enough to combat corruption.

 “The United States is concerned about the implementation of the reform agenda agreed to by the parties, after the violence in the last presidential elections. This reform is crucial to Kenya’s stability and that part of the world, but these persons have chosen to frustrate its implementation. We are doing this because Kenya is a strategic partner of the United States.”

On whether the US government would seek an expanded ban from allies, he said, “The US government has no plans to lobby other nations to expand the ban.”

Transparency International ranks Kenya as the most corrupt country in East Africa.

Asked to confirm if the US government will apply the same ban on corrupt government officials and politicians in Nigeria he said, “The United States is serious about fighting corruption in Nigeria and the world, but has no plans yet on imposing any ban on the Nigerian attorney general or any corrupt persons in Nigeria.”

Nigerians are eager to see corrupt politicians prosecuted and jailed, but the nation's attorney general Michael Aondoakaa has been an obstacle. Aondoakaa is often referred to as the most corrupt attorney general Nigeria has ever had. The EFCC Chairperson, Mrs Farida Waziri was heard complaining to someone about her frustrations with the attorney general.