This archive report was first published on 20 November 2019.
November 20, 2019, marked a significant day for Kenya's fight against corruption as the United States banned Busia Senator Amos Wako and his family from entering the country.
The ban, which also includes Wako's wife Flora Ngaira and their son Julius Wako, has left Kenya's investigative agencies, including the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), in the dark.
While the EACC claims to be working with foreign embassies on mutual agreements on corruption-related cases, it remains non-committal on whether it has any active probe or has investigated Senator Wako over graft.
Senator Wako has been banned from entering the United States before, in 2009, when he was serving as Attorney General. At the time, Washington accused him of being a stumbling block to political reforms.
The latest advisory from the U.S State Department does not explain the charges against Senator Wako, but it is suspected that the ban stems from his role as Attorney General during a time when the country was riddled with mega scandals like the Anglo-leasing scandal and the Goldenberg scandal.
Senator Wako will make a statement on Wednesday in response to the ban.
U.S Secretary of State Mike Pompeo stated, 'Economic prosperity for all Kenyans is only possible by defeating the scourge of corruption, which also requires a functional, fair, and transparent criminal justice system. The United States will continue to stand with all Kenyans as they strive to curb and punish corruption in Kenya.'
