This archive report was first published on 16 August 2019.
Published on August 16, 2019, The Standard reported that the US Embassy in Nairobi had denied visas to at least five Kenyan MPs and senators over their alleged link to drug trafficking and terrorism.
The affected legislators, who included members of the National Assembly and Senate, were seeking to travel to the US to attend the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) in Nashville, Tennessee.
Five other members of staff from the parliament clerks' office and Parliamentary Service Commission (PSC) were also denied visas over failure to meet tough regulations set by the US.
According to the US, visas are denied to individuals if there is information about their involvement in various crimes such as drugs trade, terrorism, and corruption.
High-level intervention reportedly reduced the number of Kenyan MPs denied US visas.
“Some applications were rejected. We contacted the consular services to lodge a complaint. Some were reviewed while others are still undergoing review,” a source told The Standard.
One MP from the coast region, who was denied a visa, claimed that the US authorities linked him to extremist activities of criminal groups terrorizing locals.
When contacted for comment, National Assembly clerk Michael Sialai said he was not aware of any MP or staff who were denied a visa, citing that visa application is a personal matter.
Kenya sent the highest number of delegates to the US legislative summit, with over 80 delegates attending the conference.
