Jim Kouri
Obama ignores brutality and corruption in Kenya
By Jim Kouri
While President Barack Obama is quick to point out America's every blemish, every fault, every injustice and mistake, he has remained silent about the killings, brutality and corruption — including death squads — that exists in the birthplace of his father — Kenya.
For example, the government of the United Kingdom last week issued a travel ban to more than 20 prominent Kenyan citizens accused of corruption, according to a press release from the British Home Office. While the names of those banned have not been published, they are believed to include senior civil servants, politicians and businessmen.
Reportedly, the ban is a last resort that send a message of the UK's disapproval of the criminal activity occurring the highest levels of Kenya's government. So far, not one high-level official has ever been convicted of corruption by a Kenyan court.
Kenya's President Mwai Kibaki was first elected in 2002 on a pledge to end corruption but he has failed to deliver on his promise..
Earlier in 2009, Britain's Serious Fraud Office dropped its investigations into the allegations that contracts worth some $100 million were awarded to Kenyan firms which did not exist. The SFO claimed it ended the investigation because the Kenyan government refused to cooperate with British investigators.
Recently, the United States also banned Kenyan officials from traveling here as a result of politically-motivated violence in 2008.
Besides the United Kingdom and United States actions, this month the United Nations condemned Kenya's government over police death squad killings.
The UN received numerous allegations that Kenyan security forces went on killing sprees against rebel militias in western Kenya, and also against the Mungiki sect in Nairobi, Kenya's capital.
"[We] have received overwhelming testimony that there exists in Kenya a systematic, widespread and well-planned strategy to execute individuals, carried out by the police," a UN official said regarding the alleged killings of some 500 suspected Mungiki members.
One witness claimed he saw police officers execute 58 suspects instead of arresting them and said he was certain the police commissioner had ordered the killings.
Besides President Obama appearing oblivious to the death and corruption existing in Kenya, African-American leaders such as Rev. Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson are silent about the criminals running the Kenyan government and business community.
© Jim Kouri
December 17, 2009
While President Barack Obama is quick to point out America's every blemish, every fault, every injustice and mistake, he has remained silent about the killings, brutality and corruption — including death squads — that exists in the birthplace of his father — Kenya.
For example, the government of the United Kingdom last week issued a travel ban to more than 20 prominent Kenyan citizens accused of corruption, according to a press release from the British Home Office. While the names of those banned have not been published, they are believed to include senior civil servants, politicians and businessmen.
Reportedly, the ban is a last resort that send a message of the UK's disapproval of the criminal activity occurring the highest levels of Kenya's government. So far, not one high-level official has ever been convicted of corruption by a Kenyan court.
Kenya's President Mwai Kibaki was first elected in 2002 on a pledge to end corruption but he has failed to deliver on his promise..
Earlier in 2009, Britain's Serious Fraud Office dropped its investigations into the allegations that contracts worth some $100 million were awarded to Kenyan firms which did not exist. The SFO claimed it ended the investigation because the Kenyan government refused to cooperate with British investigators.
Recently, the United States also banned Kenyan officials from traveling here as a result of politically-motivated violence in 2008.
Besides the United Kingdom and United States actions, this month the United Nations condemned Kenya's government over police death squad killings.
The UN received numerous allegations that Kenyan security forces went on killing sprees against rebel militias in western Kenya, and also against the Mungiki sect in Nairobi, Kenya's capital.
"[We] have received overwhelming testimony that there exists in Kenya a systematic, widespread and well-planned strategy to execute individuals, carried out by the police," a UN official said regarding the alleged killings of some 500 suspected Mungiki members.
One witness claimed he saw police officers execute 58 suspects instead of arresting them and said he was certain the police commissioner had ordered the killings.
Besides President Obama appearing oblivious to the death and corruption existing in Kenya, African-American leaders such as Rev. Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson are silent about the criminals running the Kenyan government and business community.
© Jim Kouri
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