European Parliament wants aid cut

The European Parliament has called for the EU to suspend budgetary support to the Kenyan government in the wake of post-election violence

However Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) have no direct say over the aid budget but they want member states to halt further transfers of EU funds, reports the BBC new service from the parliament.

Last month, the EU transferred 40m euros (4bn ksh) to the government of President Mwai Kibaki, the day after the disputed election.

This could be misunderstood as "politically biased" MEPs say in a statement quoted on the news service of the European Parliament.

They want the EU to suspend further transfers until the current crisis is resolved.

The vote on Kenya was done by a show of hands in the parliament and a large majority was in favour of the sanctions.

The EU has planned to give almost 400m euros (app 40bn kshs) in aid between 2008-2013 and most of that was due to be routed via government departments.

MEPs can only advise and cannot make a decision themselves. But the unanimous vote sends a strong signal to EU governments about the disquiet provoked by the elections in Kenya and their aftermath.