Nairobi — The handing over of the Waki envelope to the International Criminal Court has attracted widespread support, with calls for the court to quickly start investigations.

Former UN secretary-general Kofi Annan, who was chief mediator in peace talks following an eruption of violence after disputed election results in 2007, handed over the envelope to International Criminal Court prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo yesterday despite the August deadline he had given the two principals.

Failed to act

MPs Johnstone Muthama (Kangundo) and Kambi Kazungu (Kaloleni) said the move was welcome as the government had failed to act in the past.

"The Hague is the best solution and a large number of MPs share this view. There is no guarantee that the same implementers of the law shall take action," Mr Muthama said.

Mr Kazungu said Kenyans do not trust each other and the justice system. He said the government still had a chance to meet the ICC prosecutor's September deadline for a local judicial process to try the suspects.

The International Centre for Policy and Conflict urged the ICC not to accept a watered down judicial process.

Its director, Mr Ndung'u Wainaina, said it was now up to the ICC to act swiftly and ensure impunity in Kenya is crushed by either forcing government to establish a credible, impartial and independent tribunal locally or intervene directly.

"This opportunity to confront impunity in Kenya must not be lost. We expect the government's full co-operation with the ICC," he said.

Mr Wainaina said he was not convinced the Grand Coalition had the will to promote accountability as the prime suspects had enormous influence.

But the Federation of Evangelical and Indigenous Christian Churches of Kenya rooted for a special tribunal, saying, justice will only be done if the accused are tried in Kenya.

The group's spokesperson, Bishop Joseph Methu, said Kenya is not a failed state and its institutions were intact "but were restrained by the political elite... There should be serious commitment to the establishment of the local tribunal. The Hague should be the last resort," he added.

ODM vice-chairman and Dujis MP Adan Duale said: "This is good news. We have been grappling with the issue for 18 months. We want the ICC to conduct independent and impartial investigations to bring the suspects to book."

Out of the way

The assistant Livestock minister said Kenyans wanted the post-poll violence issue out of the way so they could go ahead and develop the country. He said a Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission must be set up to heal the nation.

US ambassador Michael Ranneberger said the move underscores the international community's commitment to ending impunity in Kenya.

He said by phone from the US that his government "fully" supports Mr Annan.

"That is the right thing to do and actually adds pressure on the government to speedily form the local tribunal.

"It also gives a two-tier parallel impetus to the process as we still want Kenya to form that local tribunal," Mr Ranneberger said.