Commentary (by Martin Mutua) - Minister now denies visa claim

Ref:http://www.eastandard.net/news/?id=1143982704&cid=4&PHPSESSID=85a8601eb1888e347b2ff7ee2c3bb89c


Published on March 3, 2008, 12:00 am


By Martin Mutua

The list of Kenyans banned from travelling to some European Union countries and the United States grew to 20, even as mystery deepened over a Cabinet minister blocked from travelling to Geneva, Switzerland, on official duty.

Sources within the diplomatic and security circles told The Standard that as many as 20 individuals may not be allowed to enter some foreign countries.

The individuals, mainly politicians and businessmen, are being accused of either playing a role in the post-election violence or frustrating the ongoing mediation talks.


But before Kenyans could be told who the Cabinet minister denied a visa to Geneva was following media reports on Sunday, Justice minister Ms Martha Karua — who had not been named in our reports — sprung a swift denial that she had been blocked from travelling to the Switzerland. Karua spoke during a well-attended news conference she called to dismiss the media reports.

Karua, however, indicated that she would not sue both The Sunday Standard and KTN over the matter but she had lodged a complaint with Media Council of Kenya for inaccurate reporting.

"If I was denied my country’s citizenship, I would be mourning but to be denied a visa for some far-flung country wouldn’t bother me," she added.

Karua said contrary to the reports, she had obtained a visa to travel to Geneva on Friday, February 29, and showed the media a copy of her passport containing the visa.

"I declined to travel and instead asked my Permanent Secretary to make the statement on behalf of the country as is the usual practice in such circumstances," she added.

Karua said both KTN and The Sunday Standard should have verified the truth with her or her office before airing and publishing the "inaccurate reports", adding that the code of conduct for journalists called for accuracy in reporting.

The minister hit out at donor countries from the West for issuing threats and warnings of visa bans when the negotiations were still in progress.

Karua said any donor who pulled out money for certain projects when the country had a problem was a disruptive one who should not have been there in the first place.

"Last year, we financed our Budget without donor support and therefore with or without donors Kenya will still continue," she added.

Shelve travel bans

And Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka asked the international community to be part of the Kenyan peace process by shelving all the bans and threats.

"In the wake of the peace deal and political settlement that we had, they should shelve these bans so as to consolidate the gains. They (victims of the bans) would love to participate in the implementation process and it will be not be a good gesture for them to be victimized.

On her political relationship with ODM leader Mr Raila Odinga — which has in the past been largely frosty — Karua indicated her willingness to work with all ODM members in government.

"I was with them (ODM negotiators) at Serena on the same table and we agreed on certain issues and differed on others. That does not mean we cannot work together and also it will not mean that we shall not differ," she added.

Karua said the onus was now on the leaders to ensure that the Dr Kofi Annan brokered deal worked because it was Kenyans who would be the beneficiaries.

The minister, a lead negotiator in the government team, said contents of the deal was what the PNU and ODM teams had been negotiating about but it was only the timing they had differed about.

"Our point of difference was that nothing should have been done outside the constitutional framework and that it should have been part of the comprehensive reform," she added.

Karua further said that as negotiators, they were just messengers of their principals and when working in a group, they were obliged to listen to their command.

At the same time Karua maintained that perpetrators of violence and violators of human rights would not be let off the hook.

Karua said she still held the view that the government must observe the rule of law as well as respect for human rights.