Kenya officials defy big car ban

Kenyan ministers find it difficult to give up their Mercedes

Kenyan politicians have not complied with a directive to give up their plush cars and limit themselves to a single vehicle, a BBC spot-check has found.

Kenyan Finance Minister Uhuru Kenyatta asked MPs and senior civil servants to only use cars with small fuel-efficient engines (less than 1,800cc).

But the BBC has found the fuel-guzzlers still parked at officials' compounds.

The vehicles are supposed to be sold to raise cash for thousands of people displaced in post-election violence.

When he announced the austerity drive earlier this month, Mr Uhuru said any cars that were not given up would be confiscated for the fund-raising sale.

The large power-sharing cabinet has come in for criticism for its cost to the taxpayer.

Public scepticism

Kenyans have been sceptical about whether ministers would actually give up their flash cars.

A similar proposal was made in last year's budget, but never carried out.

Several thousand people are still living in camps following last year's political unrest.

About 300,000 people were forced from their homes - and 1,500 killed - as violence erupted after the disputed December 2007 presidential election.