Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05NAIROBI4470
2005-10-28 02:59:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Nairobi
Cable title:  

REACTION TO TRAVEL BAN ON DR. CHRIS MURUNGARU

Tags:  KPAO PREL CVIS KCOR KE 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NAIROBI 004470 

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

DEPT FOR AF/PD - A.JOHNSON, J.BARNES, AF/E - S.PRATT,
IIP/G/AF T.DOWLING
POSTS FOR PAO, IO AND POLCOUNS
LONDON AND PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHERS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KPAO PREL CVIS KCOR KE
SUBJECT: REACTION TO TRAVEL BAN ON DR. CHRIS MURUNGARU

REFTEL: Nairobi 03446; State 196111

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NAIROBI 004470

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

DEPT FOR AF/PD - A.JOHNSON, J.BARNES, AF/E - S.PRATT,
IIP/G/AF T.DOWLING
POSTS FOR PAO, IO AND POLCOUNS
LONDON AND PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHERS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KPAO PREL CVIS KCOR KE
SUBJECT: REACTION TO TRAVEL BAN ON DR. CHRIS MURUNGARU

REFTEL: Nairobi 03446; State 196111


1. (U) Summary. Following an apparent leak from within
the Kenyan government, news of the U.S. travel ban on
Kenyan Transport Minister Dr. Chris Murungaru (reftel)
spread quickly late on Tuesday October 25, becoming the
top news item on all of the major television news
reports that evening. The following day, it was the
front-page story in the two leading daily newspapers,
the Daily Nation (circulation 180,000) and the Standard
(circulation 60,000). As a result of those stories,
all of the major international news services based in
Nairobi, including AP, AFP, Reuters, BBC, VOA and the
German press agency, filed stories with accurate
comments from the Embassy. In October 27 papers, some
articles speculated that Murungaru is now facing
similar bans by the Schengen group of nations within
the E.U., except for Germany. End summary.

--------------
Murungaru and GOK reaction
--------------


2. (SBU) The travel ban did not come as a surprise. In
fact, the media and the general public had been
expecting such an announcement ever since the British
Government cancelled Murungaru's visa and denied him
future entry to the U.K. in August of this year. Dr.
Murungaru addressed the media October 26 and alleged
that the U.S. was pressured to follow in the U.K.'s
footsteps. As quoted by the media, Murungaru said: "It
has been clear for some time now that the U.S. and the
U.K. are playing partisan politics and have teamed up
with a certain political clan. Their objective is a
regime change or at least a dictate of who should sit
in the Cabinet and who should not." Comments from
Embassy Nairobi, in line with approved press guidance,
were included in the articles.


3. (U) Following the British decision, Murungaru filed
a lawsuit in the U.K. demanding that evidence linking
him to any corruption be made public. On October 26,
he announced that he had instructed his lawyer,
prominent politician Paul Muite, to file a similar
lawsuit in the U.S. under the "requirement to be fair"
principle.


4. (SBU) Government officials have kept their distance
from Murungaru and the U.S. decision. In an October
26 press conference, Foreign Minister Ali Mwakwere,
flanked by Presidential spokesman Alfred Mutua, denied
any knowledge, claiming (erroneously),"We have no
official communication from the U.S. on the issue."
(In fact, the Ambassador spoke with, and the Embassy
then delivered a Diplomatic Note to, the Foreign
Minister's Permanent Secretary, October 19. The
Ambassador also had a private meeting with President
Kibaki that same day.)

--------------
Media and Public Reaction
--------------


5. (U) An editorial in The Standard on October 27
entitled "Kibaki must act now on Murungaru case"
concludes by saying: "The fact that the U.S. has
hinted at allegations of corruption is reason enough
for President Kibaki to get to the bottom of the matter
and either sack Murungaru or clear his name." The
People Daily also printed an editorial on October 27
under the title "Why the ban on Murungaru?" in which
the paper says "it would be of great help to the
country if the U.S. were to be bold enough and provide
specifics on why it is banning the minister from
stepping on its soil. For if there is adequate
evidence, there will be no reason why the president can
continue to retain a tainted figure in his cabinet.
The ball is clearly in the U.S.'s court."


6. (SBU) As stated para 2, the public had long expected
this action to occur and many feel that with this
double blow Murungaru "must carry his own cross."
Public perception seems to be growing that he cannot
continue to perform his duties as minister and that he
should either resign or be fired. However, in contrast
to when political opposition heavyweight Nicholas
Biwott's visa was cancelled last year, there has not
yet been much evident public cheering in support of the
U.S. action either perhaps because the move has been
long expected, and perhaps because of the looming
constitutional referendum that continues to overshadow
all other domestic political issues.

Bellamy