The Kenyan government is lambasting U.S. Senator Barack Obama, one day after the lawmaker concluded a visit to his late father's homeland.
A government spokesman in Nairobi Thursday said Obama's criticisms of Kenyan politics show the lawmaker is "very poorly informed."
In speeches to adoring crowds, Obama harshly criticized Kenyan officials for engaging in graft and political divisiveness based on ethnicity. He said transparent government is needed to encourage Kenya's economic growth.
Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki pledged to end rampant corruption when he came to power in 2002, but allegations of graft continue to plague the government.
Obama is a Democratic Party lawmaker representing the midwestern U.S. state of Illinois.
He visited the east African nation during a two-week tour of Africa, and was embraced by many Kenyans as a native son.
Obama's father was born and worked as an economist in Kenya.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.
