The banning of Amos Wako from stepping into United States is ambiguous and cannot help Kenya to fight corruption, Makueni Senator Mutula Kilonzo Jr has said.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Monday publicly designated the Busia senator who also served as Attorney General for over two decades.
This was the second time Wako was being banned from travelling to the US. The US first privately designated him in 2009 for being reportedly being an obstacle to reforms.
On Monday, Pompeo said the US was designating Wako for engaging in significant corruption, adding that the move would help Kenya fight graft.
However, Kilonzo told the Standard on Tuesday that the move will not help in the fight against corruption, arguing that they should instead point out specific cases linked to Wako which can be prosecuted.
“The ban is ambiguous in so far as Kenya is concerned. It cannot lead to anything meaningful unless they have a specific case which they have forwarded for investigations.
"Previous bans on drug lords and corruption barons in the past have not resulted in anything meaningful,” said the Senator.
Kilonzo asked the US to cooperate with authorities in fighting corruption by exposing the cases instead of just 'banning people' from travelling.
His remarks were endorsed by Kisumu Senator Fred Outa who wondered why other senior people in government who had been banned from the US have not blacklisted again.
“This is profiling of an individual. There are a number of politicians and public servants who were banned sometimes back. Picking only one person again is clear profiling. We will remind US to name those others and for what reasons,” said Outa.