Agriculture Minister William Ruto has called for an end to debate on the prosecution of suspects linked to post-election violence.Mr Ruto said former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan settled the matter by handing the secret envelope to the International Criminal Court.
Speaking at Cheptais in Mt Elgon District on Saturday, the minister said Kenyans should now shift focus to the search for a new constitution.
The minister said those behind the bungled 2007 polls as well as the chaos suspects should equally face the law.
“Those who caused the chaos are guilty as well as those who rigged the elections. When the time comes, all should go,” he said.
ICC Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo was expected to open the envelope on Sunday.
Meanwhile, four MPs want Moreno-Ocampo to make public names of key Government officials and prominent businessmen suspected to have perpetrated post-election violence.
“Annan delayed to present the envelope until we wondered what his intension was,” said Ainamoi MP Benjamin Langat.
Those who echoed his sentiments include Simiyu Eseli (Kimilili), Julius Kones (Konoin) and Elijah Lagat (Emgwen).
Elsewhere, Bishop Beneah Salala of ACK Mumias Diocese said the church was happy with Annans decision to hand over the envelope.
“Moreno-Ocampo should now move with speed and begin the process to prosecute the suspects,” he added.
But Anglican Archbishop Eliud Wabukala said The Hague was not a solution to Kenyas problems and could not restore peace and forgiveness.
He said Kenya should build confidence in its own institutions.
And in Central Province, Kigumo MP Jamleck Kamau said the list of suspects in the Waki envelope should be made public.
Resignation of culprits
Speaking in Gituamba in his constituency, Mr Kamau urged President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga to ensure ministers implicated in the violence resign.
“If they fail to resign, we expect the two principals to crack the whip and sack them,” he said.
At the same time, veteran politician John Keen said leaders had abused Kenyas sovereignty by ignoring calls for a local tribunal to try suspects. He blames the coalition partners for “letting the case of this country be decided out of the Kenyan jurisdiction”.
Mr Keen said the weak judicial systems should not be an excuse to seek external solutions to local cases.
In Kilifi, Foreign Affairs Minister Moses Wetangula maintained Kenya was not a failed state.
“The Hague option is for failed states and Kenya has a fully functioning Government,” said the minister.
Mr Wetangula said he was optimistic MPs would support the establishment of a special tribunal to try the poll chaos suspects.
At the same time, Wetangula denied Kenya was being used to destabilise neighbouring Uganda.
“There are no Ugandans doing dirty business on Kenyan soil and should we get wind of that, we shall act accordingly,” Wetangula said.
Speaking at Junju in Kilifi at the weekend, Wetangula said there was no cause for alarm over Annans move.
“The ICC is for failed states. Kenya lies nowhere near there. Let us not spend too much time talking about the handing over of the envelope to ICC, Wetangula said.
Speedy trials
Elsewhere, the civil society wants the International Criminal Court to facilitate quick prosecution of suspected architects of post-election violence.
The National Civil Society Congress said since the Waki envelope was handed to the international court, culprits should be subjected to full force of the law.
Head of the congress Morris Odhiambo, however, warned political temperatures would rise following handing of the names by former UN secretary-general Kofi Annan.
Mr Odhiambo was addressing a Press conference at the end of a four-day retreat of civil society groups.
At the same time, the group called on the Committee of Experts to come up with two draft laws that will be subjected to a referendum.
Odhiambo said one should be a draft on the presidential and the other on parliamentary systems of Government.
“The review Act should be amended to provide for a yes-yes referendum based on the two drafts. This will be ideal,” he said.
They vowed to ensure the constitutional review was inclusive.
Stories By Allan Kisia, Dedan Okanga, Philip Mwakio, Ramadhan Rajab, Job Weru, Karanja Njoroge and Boniface Gikandi
The Standard
Post published in: Uncategorized