Nairobi — Having established that America is not heaven, Kenya should match fire with fire in responding to the US government's visa ban slapped on 16 of its officials in just a month.

Kenya's reaction to the bans must be out of proportion to the perceived slight on its reputation if it is to settle the quarrel provoked and sustained by the US -- first by banning 15 important people, then by ignoring President Kibaki's protest letter and then repeating the offence by banning another official they cannot name.

After all, if the country wants to oppose the implementation of reforms and support the use of violence, who are Americans to lecture it?

The time that America preached and practised violence on a global scale during the tenure of George W. Bush in the presidency, Kenya did not ban him from visiting. He chose to go to Tanzania, and that is his business.

Right now, numberous U.S. leaders are opposed to health care reform. Has Rateng' Ogego, our ambassador in Washington, written to them individual letters telling them that Kenya's relationship with them will depend on their support for Obama's healthcare reform? No!

As a first step to restoring its injured pride, the Government should hit America where it hurts most. It should recall its 262,000 citizens living in America as immigrant workers, students and temporary visitors.

Official estimates suggest that Kenya has 36,100 professionals working and living in the US. Should the Kenya government call upon them to pledge loyalty to the motherland, imagine how many university lectures would go untaught, medical care would be in trouble and widespread riots would break out on campuses around the US.

How many machines would lie un-operated, how many buses un-driven and houses un-cleaned? The old people and nursing homes in America would have to turn away people. Then the government of Barack Obama would know what Kenya really is.

Should these citizens in the diaspora have been brainwashed into failing to heed the call of the motherland, the country could still rely on local mechanisms -- such as the courts. Every senior government official can go to court to obtain orders barring the American ambassador, and his boss -- the assistant minister for African Affairs -- from discussing the leadership of this country. The next time someone flies in to issue a visa ban, we would have to arrest him and charge him with contempt of court.

Kenya's experience with diplomacy, however, counsels that sanctions are most effective when they are personal. Look at Sir Edward Clay, that hot-mouth former British envoy who likes to go on and on about corruption in Kenya. He was PNG-ed on BBC's Hardtalk. Then Justice minister Martha Karua declared him persona non-grata and that was it. Little is heard of him nowadays.

In resolving this dispute, Kenya needs to sit back and figure out a way to get a personal message to President Obama. It cannot be about slapping a ban on some inconsequential civil service minion.

It must be something that speaks loudly for the whole world to hear. What would be better than to issue Mr Obama with a ban? Knowing his connection to Kenya, and the stirring of his heart whenever he thinks of K'Ogelo Nyangoma -- his father's ancestral home -- denying him access to his psychological umbilical cord would devastate him.

If he insisted on visiting the country, he would be forced to pretend that he was interested only in touring the United Nations offices in Nairobi's Gigiri area. Then he could not smell the fresh earth of Siaya or gaze at the hyacinth in Lake Victoria.

Should Mr Obama believe that as the most powerful man in the world he cannot be subjected to sanctions and be tempted to invite his grandmother, half-siblings and cousins to recreate a home in America, Kenya's response would be simple: withdraw the passports issued to his entire clan and require them to report to their location chief once a week.

The message would sink in that Kenya does not like being lectured on corruption. It would become clear that its leaders do not condone pressure to abandon violence in political competitions and that they do not appreciate the constant nudges to have an efficient police force, an honest and transparent judiciary or even a constitution that guarantees social stability.

First, Mr Kamlesh Mansukhal Damji Pattni set up a scheme to turn Kenya into the Switzerland of Africa by exporting gold and diamonds that are not mined here. After the country lost over Sh100 billion in the scam, known as the Goldenberg affair, Mr Pattni ended up in court and was struck by lightning, converting him into Paul and accepting Jesus.

His sins were forgiven without reference to the people who lost their lives -- like David Munyakei -- for standing in his way. In 2009, Mr Maina Njenga, who has never denied leading the murderous and extortionate Mungiki sect, is freed from jail and, in a matter of hours, has embraced Christianity.

His sins are forgiven -- again without asking the permission of those who lost their loved ones to the flock he has now led to church. It is called winning souls, and he brings quite a few to the fold -- regardless of whatever sins he brings with him: they can be forgiven.