Rarieda MP Otiende Amollo spared no punches on the US Ambassador to Kenya, Kyle McCarter, over his interview with the Daily Nation on Wednesday, October 22, where he made claims that a 'senior politician' had been denied entry into the US after being implicated in a graft purge.
Appearing as a panelist on NTV's AM Live, Otiende accused the US envoy of being speculative and indirect even as he insisted that the American government was helping the country slay the graft dragon.
"A visa ban for those involved in corruption is a good thing, but it does not help to say that we have banned several senior people. If you want to help Kenyans, tell us who you have banned," he categorically stated.
Otiende also expressed regret with the words used by the envoy in the interview, where he threatened to reign terror on corruption suspects and drug lords in the country.
"The message is simple. Beware. we will come for you. The US has already stopped a senior personality from traveling into the country," McCarter had been quoted.
While he clarified that he had no issues with the US government stepping in to help in the prosecution of such cases, he stated that the statements by the ambassador were out of place and taste, since they painted the country as one without laws or locus to prosecute its own crimes.
"What is not right is this condescending attitude of saying that 'we will come for you', 'we will airlift you,' as if we do not have a country. Kenya is a sovereign republic. If you want to help us as a country, help the DCI investigate and arrest drug traffickers, but do not threaten the country," he stated with finality.
He made it clear that with the offences having been committed in the country, it was only right for the trials concerning the cases to be conducted in the country.
He, however, lauded McCarter of following in the footsteps of Michael Rannerbagger, the former US ambassador, who in his opinion, was outspoken in his own right.
He stated that it was good to see him trying to be vocal about issues that many who came before him were cautious about, but indicated that it was regretful that his voice does not carry much weight in the current political atmosphere.
"What he says might be reported, but it is not as weighty as it used to be. But the idea that the ambassador speaks about what his predecessors shied away from is a good thing," he concluded.
Video Courtesy of NTV
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