Kenyans who have been implicated in corruption will not be granted entry into the United States, Ambassador Kyle McCarter has announced.
Speaking in Nairobi on Saturday, McCarter also said that their children and kin will not be allowed to travel or study in the US.
While speaking during the Junior Achievement Organization 100 year’s celebration, McCarter said that it is quite unfortunate that top government officials went unpunished after embezzling billions of shillings, while ordinary Kenyans are jailed over petty offenses.
“You cannot allow somebody to steal Sh20 billion and fine them Sh10 billion. We deal with thieves in a very brutal way, not even according to the law,” said McCarter.
“Somehow, we tolerate the theft of billions in Kenya. If we stop tolerating thievery, Kenya will be a shining star for democracy and prosperity in Africa.”
The ambassador further said that corruption prevents the country from achieving its development goals, including President Uhuru’s big four agenda.
“The cost of this is the same cost ironically as the Big Four. It could become a reality if we got rid of thievery.”
McCarter assured that Kenyan authorities had the full support of the US government in the fight against graft.
He also decried the high level of unemployment in the country and the slow growth of Kenya’s economy.
“We have a group of young people that are bitter and if we do not do anything, other people will employ them to harm,” McCarter added.
US ambassador Kyle McCarter has been outspoken in his condemnation of what he has called “thievery”.