The International Criminal Court (ICC)s naming last week of six people considered most responsible for the post-election violence following Kenyas disputed Dec. (Pictured: The back of a man tortured with molten plastic Political violence and human righst abuses a27, 2007 has driven the east African nation into a state of panic, quietness, fear and above all hope. The post election attacks left more than 1, 300 people dead, 3,500 injured and up to 650, 000 forcibly displaced.
The ICC requested that charges of crimes against humanity be filed against six Kenyans, including Finance Minister Uhuru Kenyatta, over their alleged role in the post-election violence in 2008.
In as much as families of victims will now look forward to justice being done, however the question of whether justice will actually be done still depends — as stated in parliament by the Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka on how the Kenyan government will uphold and respect the system and proceedings that are to follow.
Musyoka rightly mentioned that even though the six have been named, they remain suspects until proven guilty. Kalonzo called for calm and peace, as he addressed parliament, in the absence of the Prime Minister, who is the head of government.
Xhead) Implications beyond Kenya
The maturity with which he spoke did not only tone down the calls by some MPs calling for the immediate resignation of the named suspects. Members of parliament had already started calling for the resignation of those named who hold public office, among them the Vice Prime Minister and Kenyatta who was present in house. Kenyatta — who is the son of Kenyas popular founder, Jomo Kenyatta — looked frail and broken to the bone.
It was sheer luck that the Vice President, in his wisdom gave an unprepared government position calling for the process to proceed, as these are merely suspects. To some extent, the words of the Vice President showed an objective maturity and impartiality.
Such news and the implications it has is not only a Kenyan affair, but I foresee such coming to Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe has had numerous gross violations of human rights and crimes against humanity committed by the government from 1980 until to this day.
One need not mention Gukurahundi, Operation Murambatsvina, the 2000, 2002, 2005 and 2008 elections. All these elections were marked by killings sanctioned and condoned by powerful people in government then. Zimbabwe has had many other disappearances known and with evidence provided, but the police did not act. Extra judicial killings have been the way of operation for the Zanu (PF) government and it is a relief what has happened today in Kenya.
The process leading to the naming of the six at The Hague by Mr Moreno Ocampo has been a thorny one. Impunity has been the major challenge as the big fish protected and shielded one another, a common phenomenon in Zimbabwe.
The occasion in Kenya is and must be an example to Zimbabwean murderers who have been protected by the law. Rine manyanga hatiputirwe! How one wishes such a process begins immediately in Zimbabwe. This being the case, there is hope that justice in Zimbabwe is on the way. Victims of political violence the years over should but just be patient.
Xhead) True national healing
All sane and sundry need to give credit to former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan, who mediated a peace accord that ended the 2008 violence and is monitoring its implementation. Kofi Annan has said bringing instigators of the fighting to trial is necessary to avoid a repeat of the clashes during the 2012 vote.
That is what we might have expected of former president Mbeki, who unfortunately was not impartial in his dealings. If Annan was the mediator in Zimbabwe, another envelope could have been handed over to the ICC prosecutor with names of not only six suspects, but the list would be much taller than that of Kenya.
Apart from human rights groups and civil societies who have been seeking justice for the victims, those who were either displaced, dispossessed, or bereaved during the violence, all now will be looking out to see if their tormentors would finally face justice.
Last weeks announcement by the ICC should not be seen as an end in itself, but rather the beginning of national healing in Kenya. Zimbabwe needs to undergo the same process of cleansing and restoring the rule of law.
Surely, there are people in Zimbabwe whose names I wont hesitate to hand over to the ICC prosecutor, people who are already suffering bouts of dysentery out of fear of what awaits them as signaled by the developments in Nairobi. I foresee and look forward to the arrival of Moreno Ocampo soon in Zimbabwe – and please Mr Ocampo, you are most welcome to Zimbabwe! The Hague
Post published in: Politics