US Bans Top Kenyan Official

The US has revoked the visa of a top Kenyan government official on Monday, saying the official was a hindrance to the East African country’s reform process.

Announcing the visa ban at a press meet in Nairobi, US Assistant Secretary for African Affairs Johnnie Carson said three other officials would soon join the unnamed official on the US blacklist.

Carson said the bans were intended to pressure Kenya to speed up reform and were targeted at government officials believed to be impeding the process.

The ban comes weeks after Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki wrote a protest letter to the Obama administration, protesting against the US decision taken to target top officials in his government.

Kenya is governed by a coalition that was set up to halt tribal violence that broke out after a disputed presidential election in 2007.

The post election violence claimed at least 1,300 lives. [CK]