Kenya's cricket association chairman accused New Zealand of treating Africa with "double standards" by saying that his country could not provide adequate security for World Cup matches next month.
New Zealand have asked for their two games in Kenya to be moved because of "active terrorist organisations" they say are operating in the east African country.
"This attitude is appalling. We cannot accept that Africa be treated with double standards," Kenya Cricket Association (KCA) chairman Jimmy Rayani said at a dinner for the Kenyan cricket team on Wednesday.
"The security measures put in place in Kenya are the same as what is in South Africa and Zimbabwe. Yet New Zealand are happy to go to South Africa and not Kenya. Who do they think they are?" he said, addressing members of the Kenyan team before they flew to South Africa on Thursday.
His remarks preceded a teleconference conducted by the sport's governing body, the International Cricket Council, on Thursday, to discuss whether Kenya and Zimbabwe can safely stage World Cup matches.
FEARS HEIGHTENED
Security fears heightened in Kenya after a suicide bombing killed 17 people in an attack on an Israeli-owned hotel outside Kenya's Indian Ocean port city of Mombasa.
Osama bin Laden's Al Qaeda network claimed responsibility for the suicide bombing and a failed attempt to shoot down with missiles an Israeli airliner taking off nearby.
England players appealed on Monday for their match in Harare to be switched because of the volatile political situation in Zimbabwe following the controversial land reforms of President Robert Mugabe's government.
Six of the 54 matches in the tournament being held mainly in South Africa and starting on February 9 are scheduled to be played in Zimbabwe and two in Kenya.
Rayani said Kenya should be treated with the respect deserved by its attainment of one-day international (ODI) status.
"We won't accept to be treated as associate members. We were elevated to ODI (one-day international status) and we deserve respect," Rayani said.
"Some International Cricket Council Board members have made remarks that suggest Kenya lacks the financial base to stage the games. But one cannot put financial value on staging these games. A nation's pride is what is at stake," Rayani said.
Rayani called for New Zealand to be banned from the World Cup circuit if the ICC declares Kenya safe but New Zealand still refuses to play in the country.
"If ICC gives us a clean bill of health, New Zealand will have no reason to think otherwise. That will amount to defiance and forfeiting points or fining them $1.6 million or whatever amount is not enough punishment.
"They must be banned from the World Cup and suspended for a year or two from the Test circuit," Rayani said.
"We have the support of Kenyan Government from the top echelons. We have the support of our big brother (South Africa) and we are sure Kenya can host a safe World Cup," Rayani said.
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