US slaps travel ban on MPs
Ten MPs are among prominent people facing an imminent travel ban to the United States following the country’s post-election political crisis. The US accuses these people of being behind the violence in which nearly 1,000 people have been killed and more than 350,000 others have been displaced. And Wednesday, America’s northern neighbour, Canada, followed suit by stating that it would also write demand letters to the same individuals with a view to blocking them from stepping on its soil. US ambassador Michael Ranneberger Wednesday confirmed the drastic step, stating his country “decided to apply our travel restrictions on individuals who we believe participated in the instigation of violence, violation of human rights and breaking of democratic practices”.
Mr Ranneberger said he had sent out letters to “10 individuals who we believe are involved in the activities that we have mentioned.
“The ban will affect their families — their children who are studying in the US and their spouses. The individuals will also be affected.”
Thirty more people, he added were being investigated.
The letters were personally written to the individuals by the envoy, asking them to explain why they should not be blocked from travelling to the US in the wake of the violence and violations of human rights ever since the election results were announced on December 30.
But the envoy was tight-lipped on the identity of the MPs and prominent persons affected, only stating that it was an “individual issue” those affected have to handle. The MPs, we learnt, include both PNU and ODM members.
The US becomes the first country to take the drastic steps against leaders that Western countries believe played a leading role in the chaos that have followed the announcement of the elections results.
It is now feared that other Western countries that have complained about the elections results will follow suit and impose travel bans on leaders.
The US, Canada, and European Union (EU) member states have expressed their displeasure at the irregularities that were recorded in the elections and demanded that a political solution be reached by PNU and ODM to end the subsequent turmoil that has engulfed the country.
Canada gave a similar warning to leaders who have subverted democratic institutions and their functioning, stating they would write demand letters.
The African Union, with the support of the US, UN and EU intervened in the crisis by sending over Ghanaian President John Kufuor to start the mediation process. He was later replaced by former UN secretary-general Kofi Annan, who has steered the mediation process to the crucial stage of negotiations between the PNU and ODM.
The international community has expressed displeasure at the escalation of violence. At one time, US assistant secretary for African affairs Jendayi Frazer warned that the international community would intervene if the two sides do not agree on a peaceful settlement. Washington, however, dismissed the threat.
On Wednesday, we learned that some of the letters were written last week, while others were sent out this week. An embassy official said the decision to target the 10 was arrived at through evidence collected from the ground, the clergy and groups that have been closely monitoring the violence and violation of human rights.
Daily Nation
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