9 July 2009
editorial
Nairobi — By handing over the secret list of key post-election violence suspects to the International Criminal Court, Mr Kofi Annan indicated that he had no faith in repeated promises that the Kenya Government was working on establishing a local tribunal to try the perpetrators.
The onus is now on Kenya to live up to its promise, or have ICC chief prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo start the process that should lead to warrants of arrest for ring-leaders for trial at The Hague.
Ironically, many of those listed as masterminds of the carnage by Justice Philip Waki's Commission of Inquiry into Post-Election Violence have been at the forefront in sabotaging government efforts towards setting up a local special tribunal.
They have been expressing a preference for The Hague, arguing that a local tribunal would turn out to be a witch-hunt.
But the real reason seems to be grounded in the belief the ICC process moves at snail's pace, that the international court is already bogged down with so many cases that it would be ages before it turned its attentions to Kenya, and also that it would require much more solid evidence before issuing indictments than would a local tribunal.
If Mr Annan has called the bluff on those who thought they were shielding themselves by rejecting a local tribunal, he has also given Mr Ocampo the responsibility of moving fast to disabuse any notion that the ICC is ponderous and ineffective.
What must be understood by all now is that even as we wait to see whether the government will move with any seriousness towards forming a special tribunal, the options are fast running out.
The matter of our descent into savagery and bloodshed after the last elections has assumed international dimensions. Those who may be tempted to derail things with threats of renewed ethnic violence should be advised that the era of impunity is over.
Those on the list must carry their own cross, and not try to hide behind their ethnic communities.
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I think thats the right move now. the kenyan Government had been given enough time to decide on establishing a local tribunal. besides it the rate of corruption with our kenyan leaders is very high and establishing a local tribunal wont lead to justice being done. corruption will creap in as usual and and those reponsible for the death of many kenyans will still sneak out untouched. the kenya top politicians and their ministers are busy grabbing the country's wealth for themselves and care very little about the voice of the suffering "mwanainchi". what has the coalition government done so far? look at the increasing crime in the Nairobi city, look at the corrupt ministers who are associated with embezzlement, look at the starving kenyans, all this is coz of high corruption in our country. our politicians are making our country stink!! my advice to fellow kenyas, "stop being used by politicians like fools. when given sh100 to go and murder a group of people you just go. the politician benefits en u after shedding inocent blood you remain in your utter poverty. lean to use your literacy wisely". kenyas who dont support the hague then support corruption. let the guys be tried in the hague and let the public lean to have peaceful democracy like other nations in the world. we have driven our economy to the bottom with millions being spend repairing the damage of the post election violence. please kenyas act wisely, think wisely!!
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