Did US Govt Revoke Gachagua's Visa? Here Is The Truth
The sanctions were allegedly issued on Wednesday, March 29 by the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).
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A purported press release by the United States (US) Treasury sanctioning Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and Kikuyu MP Kimani Ichung'wah was shared numerous times by Kenyans on social media on Thursday, March 30.
The statement alleged that the DP and Ichung'wah alongside Trade Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria and Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro had their visas revoked following the raid on Kenyatta family-owned Northlands City Project on Monday, March 27.
In addition, the sanctions were allegedly issued on Wednesday, March 29 by the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).
It further claimed that the four politicians planned and sponsored attacks on private properties owned by retired President Uhuru Kenyatta and Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Alliance leader Raila Odinga on Monday, March 27, 2023.
"These visa revocations demonstrate that the United States will promote accountability not only for regime leaders but also for officials who enable the regime's assaults on democracy and human rights," the fake statement reads in part.
However, Viral Tea through spot checks on the US Embassy website established that the statement is fake. Only four statements were released by the US Treasury on Wednesday and all of them touched on the US government's economic policies.
On the other hand, the US Treasury can only issue economic and trade sanctions based on a number of offences, which also have to directly affect the US - contrary to the raid on the Northlands farm.
"The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the US Department of the Treasury administers and enforces economic and trade sanctions based on US foreign policy and national security goals against targeted foreign countries and regimes, terrorists, and international narcotics traffickers.
"Also, those engaged in activities related to the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and other threats to the national security, foreign policy or economy of the United​ States," US Treasury explained on its website.
The purported statement, which emerged as others linked it to a supposed probe by The Hague-based International Criminal Court (ICC), was also flagged down by the US Treasury.
“I can confirm that the report doing rounds is fake as there has been no such communication from the United States Government,” U.S. Embassy Nairobi Spokesman Andrew Veveiros told Citizen Digital.
The Kenya Kwanza leaders also distanced themselves from the raid on the farm of former President Uhuru Kenyatta's property, which has since witnessed increased security ahead of the Thursday, March 30 protests.
The farm located along the Easter Bypass was raided by goons who looted rare sheep worth Ksh70 million and destroyed an unknown number of trees.
"In Ruiru within the periphery of Nairobi, mobs of about 2,000 criminals stormed private property belonging to the family of a retired President of Kenya where they vandalized the farm, stole livestock, set fires and attempted to construct makeshift houses ostensibly to occupy the land.
"A smaller gang attempted to storm a business in the Industrial Area of Nairobi which is associated with a former Prime Minister of Kenya, who is the principal leader of the current protests," stated Interior Cabinet Secretary (CS) Kithure Kindiki on March 29.
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