The travel bans were issued separately from February last year, just weeks after the International Criminal Court confirmed charges against Uhuru, Ruto, the former Public Service boss Francis Muthaura and radio presenter Joshua arap Sang.
Multiple European diplomats in Nairobi separately said that they are not allowed to associate with the ICC suspects. "We are not allowed to meet or talk to them," said an envoy. Another ambassador said he is forbidden from meeting Uhuru or Ruto "except under exceptional circumstances".
Uhuru stepped down as Finance minister in January 2012, partly because donors and diplomats had already indicated that they would not be able to deal with him while he was facing charges in the Hague.
Uhuru and Ruto, formerly bitter political rivals, formed the Jubilee Alliance for the March 4, 2013 election.
Various forces in the state machinery and the Central Province establishment had become concerned that Kenya might face serious economic sanctions if Uhuru and Ruto were elected president and deputy president.
Uhuru and Ruto have denied the ICC charges of involvement in the violence that followed the 2007 poll and left 1,200 people dead and displaced 300,000 from their homes. Uhuru has insisted that he will "follow due process" and if necessary go to the ICC where his trial opens on April 10.
Uhuru and Ruto are now limited to traveling to African countries, Gulf states, East Asia and countries outside the European Union. No ICC suspect has so far travelled to the West since the charges were confirmed.
Former United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan visited Kenya and warned that there will be political and economic consequences for Kenya if an ICC suspect is elected president. Annan said privately that Kenya risked being "disconnected from the international financial system".
Western diplomats, in particular America, told Annan that they would take a very tough line if the Kenyan suspects did not cooperate with the ICC.
But Uhuru has repeatedly told foreigners including Annan to stop meddling in Kenyan affairs and the upcoming elections. “My focus is on Kenya, the region and the continent. No Kenyan or African has said that Uhuru should not vie for the presidency so the rest if they don’t want to associate with us they can stay away,” Uhuru told a TNA aspirants meeting at Kasarani.
“It is in bad taste for a person like Annan to travel all the way from Ghana to dictate to voters on who to elect in the coming General Election. I am telling him to keep off from interfering with Kenyan politics,” said Ruto.
EU diplomats said several countries were starting to consider possible sanctions starting with a gradual withdrawal of aid. Another ambassador indicated that possible sanctions would initially be limited to individuals and could include a freeze on overseas assets. But sanctions would steadily increase in the following years if those charged with crimes against humanity did not cooperate with the ICC. "Trade embargos are being considered," said a diplomat.
Agricultural commodities such as cut flowers, fruits, vegetables, tea, coffee and fish account for over 90% of Kenya's exports to the EU. The EU is Kenya’s second largest market after COMESA and were estimated at Sh89 billion in 2008.
The EU is Kenya’s main source of imports, mainly industrial (finished) products such as motor vehicles and parts, aircraft and associated equipment, medicaments, iron and steel products, data processing instruments, rubber tyres and other articles of rubber and plastic, medical and veterinary instruments and motor machinery among others.
FOR THE RECORD
The European Union has advised us that it has not imposed an institutional travel ban for the whole of Europe against Uhuru Kenyatta and William Ruto. Individual countries may, however, have established travel restrictions against the two on a national ad hoc basis. Our above stoty stated that “various European countries have already issued travel bans” against the two, who would find out if and when they applied for visas to visit those countries.
Courtesy of The Star..
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