Kenya's assistant minister for trade on Friday stepped aside pending a probe into allegations he and three other lawmakers are involved in drug trafficking, the office of the prime minister said according to dpa. "Prime Minister Raila Odinga, acting in consultation with President Mwai Kibaki, early today asked Hon John Harun Mwau to step down as Assistant Minister for Trade until investigations into allegations that he is one of those involved in drug trafficking are completed," Odinga's office said in a statement. Mwau had already told Odinga he wanted to step down until his name was cleared, the statement said. Internal Security Minister George Saitoti on Wednesday told parliament that Mwau, along with three other lawmakers and a businessman, were suspected of drug trafficking. Lawmakers Gideon Mbuvi, William Kabogo and Hassan Joho all denied the accusations. United States Ambassador Michael Ranneberger in November said four unnamed government officials and a businessman had been handed visa bans over allegations of involvement in the narcotics trade. According to Ranneberger, Kenya - a travel hub for East Africa due to its port and international airport - is a major transit point and destination for heroin and cocaine. Two senior ministers and the Nairobi mayor have been forced to step aside due to corruption charges in recent months.
