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Kenya: No Amnesty for Chaos Inciters, Says Saitoti
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The Nation (Nairobi)
19 March 2008
Posted to the web 18 March 2008
James Kariuki And Moses Mwathi
Nairobi
Internal Security minister George Saitoti has said no amnesty would be given to anyone incriminated in the political violence that rocked parts of the country.
The minister said all suspects would be prosecuted.
"Anyone who killed a Kenyan, looted or burnt property has to face trial. To think of amnesty is to go against the Constitution which guarantees security and protection to all Kenyans wherever they live," he said.
Evict others
Speaking at Gatundia Trading Centre in Laikipia West District on Monday, Prof Saitoti said no one had the right to evict another from his land saying the law will have to be applied to the letter.
However, the minister declared an amnesty for all people with illegal firearms in Laikipia West District saying the Government will soon conduct a forcible disarmament in the area.
The amnesty is the second, the first having been issued by former Internal Security minister John Michuki. But no action was taken to mop up firearms that have been identified as the main cause of conflict in the area.
Rift Valley Provincial Commissioner Hassan Noor said the district has witnessed the killing of 14 people in the past one week, 43 houses burnt and 23 people arrested in connection with the skirmishes in Laikipia West District.
Move out
Prof Saitoti also told illegal grazers to move out of private land in the troubled Laikipia West District.
While touring the district, Prof Saitoti warned the herders that they would face full force of law if they continued disrespecting the right to ownership of land.
He instructed Rift Valley PC to ensure that cattle that those who had been grazing on private land are driven out.
"I advise the PC to ensure law breakers have no place in this land," the minister said.
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Prof Saitoti noted cattle rustling and invasion of private land were the main cause of bloody conflicts in Laikipia and promised to deal with it decisively.
Chaos in Kenya is denting the image of the Nation. Kenya has had respect all over the World until 1991, when peaceful coexistance changed course. The words of the Internal Security Minister are encouraging. If his words are followed by an action, there is no doubt Kenya will be moving in the right direction. For the last 17 years since 1991, the time the kind of fighting started, the instigators and financiers of the chaos in Kenya have enjoyed buying young boys and school children to kill innocent mothers and their children any time they felt threatened, especially when ... [Read Full Text]
" ...Kenya has had respect all over the World ..." That "respect" may be admirable in a diplomatic sense in a world dominated by USA/EU. That means that you have 'respect' when you do the masters' bidding. Do Kenyans care for that 'respect' - when most live in abject poverty? Cuba, for instance, has no 'respect' in the USA-UK-EU axis. BUT Cuba's citizens were far better off than those in Kenya even while Kenya enjoyed world 'respect'. What would you rather have for your citizens?
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