UK imposes bans on over 20 Kenyan government staff

The United Kingdom has placed a ban on more than 20 Kenyan nationals that have been accused of corruption, with funding for the Kenyan ministry of education also being halted following the disappearance of some $1.3 million.

Rob Macaire, the British High Commissioner, declared that these people will be forbidden from travelling to the UK but that the move was a last resort policy only due to the lack of prosecution against senior officials in Kenya. Macaire claimed that the decision was not over-dramatic of moralistic but rather was in fact a realistic, sober analysis of the ongoing problem plaguing the Kenyan government.

The names of the banned individuals were not released although the announcement comes at a time when the US has also placed a similar restriction of those high-ranking officials that have been accused of preventing reforms and justice. Macaire did, however has praise for the Kenyan parliament’s passing of anti-money laundering legislation last week. Macaire argued that if put into effect properly the move could have a significant impact on relationships between Kenya and its international partners.

The UK Department for International Development has also announced that it had frozen its funding assistance for the Kenyan ministry of education after large amounts went missing. Some £1 million has been misplaced, despite the new coalition government promising to stamp out corruption and heighten accountability and transparency.