[JURIST Europe] Lawyers acting for former Kenyan transport minister Chris Murungaru [Wikipedia profile] will appear in the High Court [UK Court Service website] in London on Tuesday to challenge a travel ban [JURIST report] imposed last summer to prevent him entering the country. The ban appears to have been prompted by corruption accusations [JURIST report] made against Murungaru in Kenya that forced him out of the country's cabinet, but only his "character, conduct and associations" have been formally cited. The ban, also imposed by the US, was signed on July 21, 2005, the same day as four bombs went off in the London transit system in a second (failed) round of bombings [JURIST report] after deadly explosions on July 7 [JURIST report]. Murungaru's lawyers claim that the timing has prompted speculations about security reasons behind the ban that have been damaging to his reputation.

Murungaru was dismissed from his government post late last year, but denies having been involved in corruption, suggesting that Britain’s actions are a personal attack for his opening up Kenya [JURIST news archive] to wide foreign investment, creating competition for British firms. Reuters has more.

Tatyana Margolin is an Associate Editor for JURIST Europe, reporting European legal news from a European perspective. She is based in the UK.