Kenyan displaced: ICC remains sole option


  1. Peris wairimu, VoicesofAfrica mobile reporter in Meru, Kenya
    Victims of the post poll chaos in Kenya have great fear that prominent people in the Government, suspected to be the architects of the violence would be be set free if a Kenyan tribunal will be established to try the suspects.
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    Speaking to VoicesofAfrica in an interview, the victims, including the displaced, showed their deep mistrust in the Kenyan Government and the local tribunal.

    The post election violence left 1,331 Kenyans dead, more than 600,000 homeless and others suffering severe wounds in hospitals. According to the chief mediator Mr Kofi Annan,the supporters of the violence will pay for their crimes. Annan said that he would be faithful to the Waki commission which states that architects of the post poll chaos must be punished.

    The Waki commission had given president Mwai Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga up to March 1 to establish a local tribunal and ensure that it was operational. Now that the Government has failed to do so, Mr Annan has signalled to forward the names enclosed in a secret envelope to the International Criminal Court(ICC) at the Hague in the Netherlands.

    Though secret ,the envelope is believed to have names of prominent people,6 ministers and 5 members of parliament. Its interesting that the Constitution of Kenya Amendment Bill, which would have paved way for the establishment of the local tribunal was defeated in parliament. Despite the fact that president Mwai Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga held a meeting with ministers and assistant ministers a day before parliament sittings, and urged them to vote for the bill, the bill was greatly opposed.

    The president had also instructed the head of civil service to write a memo instructing all members of parliament to turn up on February 14 2009 and pass the bill. Nevertheless, the bill was still defeated and now Kenyans are waiting to see what's the next step to be taken by Mr. Kofi Annan