MP calls for probe into US spying claims

Investigations into claims that the United States has been spying on communication involving President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto could be headed for the National Assembly after a member proposed that US ambassador Robert Godec be asked to explain the claims.

Paul Koinange (Kiambaa) addressed a Press conference at Parliament buildings and asked the House Foreign Relations and Defence Committee to ask the Kenyan ambassador to the UN to register the country’s concerns with the world body and initiate efforts to ascertain the credibility of the reports.

He further called on the committee to request access to the American embassy for an audit of all IT installations within the building in a bid to ascertain the claims.

rapacious affront

“I propose that thorough investigations be carried out to get the faces behind this spying ordeal… US actions are a rapacious affront to common sense.

“I further propose that a proper explanation be sought by this House from the ambassador about this allegation of espionage. When did it start? What are its intentions? Who was spied on and why?” he said.

Over the past week, there have been allegations that the US has been tapping telephone conversations of senior Kenyan leaders.

The claims were contained in a blog, The Intercept, run by American journalist Glenn Greenwald.

In a release titled The Data Pirates of the Caribbean, the journalist-cum-lawyer claimed that the US has been spying on Kenyan leaders and top members of the security apparatus. Both the President and his deputy are yet to issue any statement on the matter.