Hello Cyprian,
So today after being invited by my friends to the USA, I had to attend a Visa application interview. My interview was slated at 9:30 am. They asked me if I had been convicted as a criminal and all those nonsense questions that are meant to establish if you are a terrorist. I have a very clean record but that should not matter.
They went ahead and asked that I pay 16,800 for the application which I did. They asked me to carry my invitation letter and financial statements of my host which I did.
So I go there and I spend over an hour doing security checks. Afterwards, we join a long queue to wait for our turn to be interviewed. After 30 minutes of standing in line, I am finally interviewed which to my surprise, I am standing like everyone else. I was asked two questions. Why do you want to visit the US and how long will you be there. I gave them my replies. That I was invited by my friends who were US citizens and that I would be there for a month.
The next thing was Your Visa has been denied. I think I saw it coming. Standing in line I only saw Indians and people who they considered rich being granted Visas. A south Sudanese citizen was told no, other young Kenyans who wanted to visit their family members were told no. I only heard two yes replies. One for an Indian family and another for an old man donning a suit and to be honest he looked loaded.
Afterwards, it made me wonder if these united states officials are discriminating Kenyan citizens in their own country. The amount I paid would go on to fuel their range rover vehicles and pay their rent in Muthaiga. I wondered how many Americans have ever been denied Kenyan Visas. How many Americans come to Kenya, take our jobs just because they are Americans and feel entitled about it. How many American settler farmers kill people in their farms with weapons but no one talks about it. How many Americans get jobs in Kenya and we are too black or too poor to visit their country.
How many American businesses are in Kenya, How many Kenyan Businesses are in America. I feel that my biased and prejudiced treatment in my own embassy by American consul officers reflects how we as Kenyans are being taken for a ride in our own country.
Americans come and lease hectares of land in Kenya while Kenyans are being racially discriminated in their embassies. From what I saw today I think someone needs to speak about this. I saw many Visa rejections today that were biased and unfair. It leaves me wondering how many concessions we make as Kenyans such that we are being discriminated in our own country.
Biko Zulu highlighted his experience with the UK high commission and I thought it was a joke. Please if you find time and if you see it worthy, please highlight this issue. I know many Kenyans have a lot to say about this.
yours sincerely,
Concerned Kenyan.
Editors Note: The Editor of This Site Cyprian Nyakundi welcomes concerns from Kenyans over this issue. Email to [email protected] or [email protected]. WhatsApp +254710280973