My comment is going to be short. I do not know Mr M. Kiai and and I do not know his background. However when I read this interview, I can see that Mr Kiai is more a politician than a human rights activist. It is understandable that human rights activists need to understand political arrangements and the balance of power in place so that they can make sure these two are not hindering citizens from exercising their rights.

However Mr. Kiai is more a political player on the side of the opposition. I can not believe that he never mentioned violence incitement by the opposition leaders. He never blames the opposition as if what they did was legitimate. How come people killed in the name of Raila, and Kiai perceives it as legitimate. Remember we have been watching on TV people blandishing machetes and chanting " NO RAILA NO PEACE". They burnt churches, they killed, they raped, they rooted properties in RAILA’s name. Is that legitimate? Why Kiai do not mention it as abuse of human rights? He seems to explain all this by the anger Kenyans have over political arrangements, land distribution, government failure to address corruption but for me nothing can explain the killing of innocent people some times victims of political calculations and power struggle. We heard from many testimonies that the opposition leaders has been promising to take land from Kikuyu and give it to Luo and kalenjini. When he did not win the context he instructed them to use violence to aquire those properties. It is good to talk about redistributing land if that is an issue but I think Kenyans have the right to own a property and they have the right to live everywhere they want in Kenya. There is no land reserved for Kikuyu , no land reserved for Luo or Kalenjini. As long as the property has been acquired lawfully, it belongs to the owner until new lawful arrangements are made through peaceful means. Mr Kiai is adamant to blame Mugabe but he hardly notices that what people did under the leadership of Raila and the opposition Orange Democratic movement is not different from what Mugabe did to white settlers.

When you meet him next, can you ask him what the slogan “ NO RAILA NO PEACE” means. Is Raila presidency a price to pay for people’s lives?

My recommendations: o Whereas there are issues, to be resolved in Kenya including land distribution, corruption, the solution is not to use violence. o Whereas Kibaki might have rigged elections; violence is not the solution to get the power back from him. Raila should have used his success in having more parliamentary seats and the majority in parliament to slowly change the constitution that gives too much power to the president, and subsequently get rid of the winner-take-all system and the first-past-the-post, zero-sum game. o Never use the tactics of “NO OMELETTE WITHOUT BREAKING EGGS” used by RPF in Rwanda. It does not pay off. It only bring spiral and endless violence and the power acquired that way must be dictatorial as it always needs to cover up all wrong and crimes done by its supporters. o A message to Mr Kiai, are you really a human rights defender or you are a politician who want to use the human rights as spring board to access political positions?

Well now, don’t be shy, say it as it is.. Any critique of the Government and you are immediately a member of the opposition. NO, this interview clearly states there are actually more than 2 sides to this so don’t try to make it into something it isn’t.-----Quote.. “The reasons for them [conflicts] are political. The reasons for them are that peaceful means for resolving our differences have been closed down, so people become violent and express that violence in an ethnic way because our politics is ethnic. That's very important to emphasize.”------ I just appreciate that there are people in this conflict that is trying to do something with peaceful means. Keep up the good work!

/Z

Mr. Kiai does not care about human right, he is more interested in being interviewd by foreign journalist to promote his politicak angle. When people were being killed in the Rift Valley, he could not resist daily in runnung in the front of TV to talk about stolen election without advocating peace or discussing the plight of people being massacred. As a Canadian who was in Kenya during the election, I was ashamed of Mr. Kiai to be a representaitve of human right.

Tina, Vancouver, Canada

Maina Kiai is very right, this is a political problem. When someone says he/she does not know maina kiai then i think he/she has no knowledge of what has been happening in kenya. As a kenya am suprised at politicians like Martha Karua and all who said they were fighting for freedom for Kenyans. To them as long as they are in goverment these freedoms do not matter. There are still few good people like Prof. wangare Maathai who despite their ethnic affiliations have remained nationalists. Maina Kiai who despite being from kikuyu tribe has also remained neutral and the only person doing his job proffessionally. So i would wish to say to Maina Kiai "keep up" it only you who tells the world the factual truth without being ethnically motivated.

herbert

Musinga, please pray to God to open your eyes to the reality, do not be like an ostrich (like Kibaki and his cronies are) who buries his head in the sand with a hope that the body is not being seen. First of all you said you were going to be short, but you were too long. That is lying to yourself and us, and from that you kind of mixed up your issues. Maina Kiai is like a prohet rejected by his own people. This man is telling the truth the way it should be told. I have not seen or read anywhere wher he is siding with Raila or opposition. He gave an analysis, truthfully the way it is. But. Lo fellow Kenyans, we have been trained not to look at things subjectively; because Maina, Wangari Maathai etc are Kikuyus, automatically they are expected to support Kibaki even if he is wrong. My heart bleeds for the people who were killed in the church, I cried myself to sleep imagining the pain, the suffering those people went through. My heart bleeds too for the family of 11 burned in Naivasha, NO HUMAN BEING deserve to go through what they went through. No bod deserves to die seeing your attackers hacking life out of you. Freedom, peace, democracy are difficult to come by. People have always sacrificed for something good to come out. Remember Mau Mau rebellion, Nandi resistance etc? what were they fighting for? for you and I to enjoy freedom. Remember Martin Luther King, Abraham Lincoln, the American civil war? My fellow Kenyan. since this calamity befell us, have you heard any words of comfort, condolence, coming from the so called father of the Nation Emilio Kibaki? Did you read his insensitive utterances when he launched the free education? Kibaki lives in another world, Kibaki does not care about Kenyans, let alone Kikuyus. Who is a leader? do you see any leadership traits in Kibaki? As a head of a nation you are supposed to stand with your people in times of joy and sadness. Instead what he has done is to barricade himself in State house and come out with a belly so big full of shit! while Kenyans are suffering. I think you should consult your conscience and help Kibaki too before you start railing at Kiai. He is an upright man, he knows his life is in danger, but he will stand by the truth All those suggestions you make are valid. but they can only work in a democratic country, where the president is above the law. Let us all rethink our committment to Kenya and earnestly search for justice so that our children, and future generations can enjoy a better Kenya. Blind allegiance will not help us. Condemn what is wrong and stand for what is right at all cost.

M.Kiai is clearly biased and has heavy leanings towards the opposition. Since he has lost his objectivity, it would be purposely good if he stepped down as chair of KNHRC.

STOP THE LIES AND LET KENYANS START HEALING

It seems that Maina Kiai is in denial. Raila Odinga had planned the killing of all Kikuyu people. The deadly violence did not go quite all the way as planned.

There is nothing in the world that could conceal the deadly blow that was carried on towards the Kikuyu people. Therefore, Mr. Maina Kiai, stop covering for Raila Odinga.

Raila Odinga is not afraid to lie to the world about the killings that he carried out in ElDoret. First, Raila said that the people he killed were thieves. The next story that Raila Odinga told regarding the same killings was that the people killed in the Eldoret Church were attackers. However, Odinga could not explain how the nursing babies and their mothers could have attacked anybody or anything, for that matter.

Mr. Maina Kiai, stop covering for Odinga. Let Kenyans start healing, without all these stupid lies.

BY KARARA MUHORO, American citizen

You are American citizen, no wondr you are engaging in incorrigible lies that you are throwing like diarhea out of your heart and mouth. None of those leaders hands are clean, so stop ranting and raving. True healing;and not bandage healing, will take truth and reconcilliation. I went to school with ll tribes, nobody could have told me to kill any member of a tribe, because I love all of them like my brothers and sisters. What would Raila gain bu commanding the annihilation of all Kikuyus? What a boring country Kenya would be without Kikuyus. All tribes bring a uniqueness to the diversity in Kenya, and this diversity should be cherished and not used as a weapon. So please read carefully what Kia is saying ith a clear conscience, and the truth will set all of us free and we will truly heal.

My friend it sems umelewa na moratina. Kiai are the one of kenyans who need to see pease in our beloved kenya.Raila needs a steble contry thats wy he has been stragolieng for democrasy in kenya, Kitu mungu amepanga akuna binadamu anaeza kuzuia. its for Raila. You fear Agwambo ata maliza waizi kama nyinyi

Kiai was not impartial in his presentation and presented the government side of the story from what we hear, the government favours mainly the displaced from the mountain kinia region and is undermining the work of Kofi.

I want to congratulate Mr. Maina Kiai for his analytical depth of the Kenyan crisis, his balanced views on the chaotic situation that followed the December 27 election, as well as the well-thought examples of Zimbabwe and Burma. And surely the rapes that followed the disputed elections were certainly not sexual as they were retaliatory on the opposition female population.

Unfortunately, the international community cannot do anything because the powers who control the U.N. Security Council have diverse interests in Kenya. And those interests have priority for those powers. The murders, rapes, and mayhem in Kenya are insignificant to them -as long as their geopolitical and strategic interests are protected.

With the exception of Jomo Kenyatta, the first Kenyan president after the British colonial rule, the other presidents that followed him were too egocentric and unworthy. And after 24 years of corrupt rule and smoke-screen elections by Daniel Arap Moy, Kibaki seems to have followed Moy's election trickery to perpetuate his presidency.

Kibaki's argument that "Election Fraud" issues belong to the courts" is quite ridiculous. The wrangling in courts can go on for years -until he finish a term in office that he has not won. And in every real democracy, the loser cannot serve in office unless his election is beyond any doubt at the sworn in time -not at the end of his term.

I don't see any reasonable resolution in the Kenyan election conflict other than new elections or capitulation of the opposition. And I hope Mr. Odinga will not capitulate, because if he does, it will embolden Mr. Kibaki to do it again, and again for the next 24 years -like Daniel Arap Moy. Nikos Retsos, retired academic

DO NOT BE FOOLED HUMAN RIGHT ACTIVISTS Mr. Kiai is not a civil rights activist. Mr. Kiai is just as guilty of the killings propagated on the Kikuyu people. The viciousness of the killings and the impact that the violence has become are enough to tell the story of the violations carried out on the Kikuyu people of Kenya. Mr. Kiai has exposed himself as a liar, just like his deadly counterpart, Raila Odinga. When I became calm enough to read the interview that was done in Washington, I realized that Mr. Kiai is more a deadly politician than a human rights activist. Remember that pictures are worth a thousand words. The pictures of the massacre in the church in Eldoret, and the more than five hundred thousand Kikuyu people who have been left homeless cannot be concealed by Maina Kiai or Raila Odinga. It is clear that, we do not know how Kiai and Raila Odinga are related; however, the two beasts are extremely vicious. Even with his likes, Maina Kiai cannot be able to rectify the deadly impact carried out on the peaceful people of Kenya. Maina Kiai is just as guilty of human rights violations, like his “brother-in-crime” Raila Odinga. There is nothing in this world that Maina or his brother, Raila Odinga can do at this point in time, to conceal the repercussions of their death matches. The only thing that Maina and Odinga can do is like. But do not forget that, Kiai and Odinga can only tell one many lie to cover the lies that they have already told. The most important thing that Kiai does not know is that, if he and Odinga had told the truth the first time, “THE TRUTH WOULD NOT CHANGE!” THE TRUTH DOES NOT CHANGE, FOR EVER. In this particular case, the TRUTH IS THAT RAILA AND HIS ODM HAD PLANNED TO KILL ALL THE KIKUYU PEOPLE OF KENYA, BUT THEY WERE ONLY SUCCESSFUL IN KILLING AT LEAST 1000 PEOPLE OR MORE. . It is not difficult to observe that, in his interview, Mr. Kiai he never mentioned violence incitement by RAILA ODINGA AND THE OTHER the opposition leaders, LIKE HIMSELF. Mr. Kiai never blames the opposition for the many killings that started long before the election had begun, or after the elections had ended. Mr. Kiai is quite cunning as he lays to human rights groups to legitimize his killings. How come people killed in the name of Raila and Kiai perceives it as legitimate. Like I said, Remember we have been watching on TV people blandishing machetes and chanting “NO RAILA NO PEACE". Odinga, Kiai, Ruto and the ODM leaders and their disciples burnt churches, they killed many women and children, they raped, and they rooted properties in Raila Odinga’s name. Is that legitimate? Is there a reason that Kiai did not mention the chanting “NO RAILA NO PEACE” as a true expression of the violent minds of Odinga and his disciples to clarify that these are abuse of human rights? Mr. Kiai is not only in denial, he still believes that the world is STUPID enough to accept his lies to explain all this by the anger Kenyans have over political arrangements, land distribution, and government failure to address corruption. Mr. Kiai is cunning just like his counterpart, Raila Odinga, and I hope that the government of Kibaki will ultimately bring him and his disciples to justice. We heard from many testimonies that the opposition leaders have been promising to take land from Kikuyu and give it to Luo and kalenjini. All rights activists tell Kiai and Raila Odinga that the presidency of Kenya should not be bought with violence as “NO RAILA NO PEACE” means death to every Kenyan except Luo.

Very Good Mr.Kiai for being candid and patriotic to your country. I can't imagine you saying this when you are from the same home with the disputed winner of the Presidential election. That rearly shows how credible you are. You are among new Kenyans who want real change to happen in your country. I met you and listened to you when you came to New York to brief the International Community on the current political crisis in your country. I was sitting on your right side. I am the guy who spoke with you in your national language. You sound very systematic in your arguments. Indeed your problems are political and not simply ethnic. The establishment of Equity and Social Justice is necessary for the sustainable peace and security in your country. You are also quite correct by arguing that Calm is not Peace. But please don't allow the children of the hardliners to be punished by the international community for the mistakes committed by their parents. It will be a violation of their basic Human Rights. I wish you the best in your work.

Great job maina.Keep up the good work at least now we know that you are a man of integrity and CONSCIENCE which is very rare in Kenya today.Do not be cowed the TRUTH IS THE TRUTH IS THE TRUTH AND TRUTH ALWAYS PREVAILS.

I agree with everything about this report except one thing, "spontaneous violence following the result." Those who lived in the Rift area or had relatives in the area know very well all the killings were orchestrated from the beginning by the man called Ruto and Kosgei. Young people who were from other tribes were interviewed and admitted to being funded to carry out the plan if the results were not going to favor ODM. The target from the beginning were the Kikuyu who had bought land from the former British colony in Kenya. Ruto's group had been complaining these groups of people were intruders who stole their land. Working with ODM gave him lee way to carry on the clashes that had began with Moi's government against these people. The truth is that these people did not steal the land, they bought it, and as Kenyans, they had a right to buy land anywhere. Kikuyu were not the only people who bought land outside their area, many Luhya and Luo bought land outside their birth place, which is the right place for every Kenyan to do. But only the Kikuyu were being targetted at first. This was because, it was the way ODM felt it would retaliate against Kibaki who was a Kikuyu. That is why so many people are still upset that the masterminds of these evils should still be the people intervening for the peace in the nation. Further, the western nation is now trying to coerse the decision instead of allowing the Kenyans with Kofi Annan do it. If there are nations that would understand the plight of Kenya, it is the African Uninion, not the west.

The intervening people I am referring to are Ruto and other leading ODM leaders, who are sitting at the table negotiating for for the Kenyan future. These people don't even deserve to be sitting in these negotiations. We forgave them because it is so hard to carry on with such a heavy load of hatred, but that did not imply we are stupid.

If the Likes of Musinga Can't see what Maina Kiai is saying, then you You have no idea what you are talking about. the structure of Government that we have in Kenya will make a dictator regardless of what Tribe they come from. Main is not saying Kibaki is a bad guy, rather that he is both the victim and result of a faulty system. He is saying that Kenya left the way it is, one day a non kikuyu will become president, and with the current system a kikuyu might never be let to rule again leave alone run business again.So we need to find a solution that willsecure everones life, property and future. He is saying stop looking at the institution of presidency as belonging to one or other person, but that it should serve the people of kenya and provide statemanly guidance. Just learn Wanjiku, if you try to dominate anybody they will fight back,in turn lives will be lost. it is a simple law in physics. if you chose not be realistic, and act a fool like the proverbial ostrich,we all are GONNA DIE. Fools will kill each other for no good reason. In Kenya, we have more reasons to have a just peaceful society, no one community can dominate over the rest especially in a diverse society such as kenya's. the Bomas Constitution had addressed this issues, a strong presidency in kenya is one whose time has passed and we need to build ourlives on a more stable foundation.

Mr. Musimnga, I am so disheartened by your opinions. I don't understand why you think you have to know Maina's background to make any judgements about him. Words often times can tell you more about people. I think Maina Kiai has gone past the tribal deadlock that most of our people are trying to get over with right now. His talk about the need to give more attention to what is happening in very right. The conflict in Kenya did not all start because different tribes woke up one morning and thought that it would be great to kill people from the other tribe. The conflict is politically instigated. Our politicians have prospered through tribal lines. Since the time of Jomo Kenyatta to Moi and now Kibaki, it looks like once someone gets on that presidential seat, that seat turns to a money minting seat for the family, relatives, friends and the tribe. Kenyans are tired with this kind of system. And it needs to stop. And the time to be stopped is right now. They are dividing us through tribal lines. So the issue here is not tribal, it's how can we fix the origin of the problem. We need a constitution that defines how people are appointed for various posts fairly, the constitution on how the kenya budget will be shared fairly amongst provinces, the constitution. Constitution! Constitution! Constitution! is what we need period. Magut

Maina Kiai is a disgrace and a disappointment and is not qualified to head an organization championing the rights of the oppressed and without representation. Maina Kiai how come you never fought for the victims displaced and killed by the actions of ODM? How come ODM demands were more important than the victims of violence? Do you know your reckless utterances caused the lives of policemen and endagered the lives of many?