NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 27 – The National Council of Churches of Kenya wants Chief Mediator Kofi Annan to make public the list of suspected planners and financiers of the post election skirmishes, and hand over the secret envelop to the International Criminal Court.
Secretary General Peter Karanja on Friday accused the government of “showing no sound commitment to kick start a local and independent process of justice and called for an international process.”
“The spirit of the Waki report assumed that the political class would be willing to deal with impunity but now that the deadlines have passed and the attitudes of the politicians show little commitment. It makes no sense for Kofi Annan to continue giving these people more space,” Canon Karanja said.
He said by virtue of being suspects, it was unlikely that politicians would create a process to indict themselves. He said the council would soon begin collecting one million signatures to petition the ICC Prosecutor to take up the matter.
The council’s comments came barely two days after the United Nations special rapportuer on extrajudicial killings said the Kenyan situation would make a good case for the court and urged the prosecutor to pick up the matter.
The government suffered humiliating defeat in Parliament early this month after lawmakers rejected a Bill to set up a local tribunal, on the basis that its independence was in doubt.
Canon Karanja spoke after holding a council meeting to evaluate the progress of the Coalition Government one year since it was formed.
The religious leaders castigated the coalition for failing to demonstrate leadership and delivering the purpose for which it was formed.
The NCCK said it was imperative for President Mwai Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga to show leadership and end corruption that had become characteristic of the government.
“Unless the two of you occupy your constitutional space, the vacuum emerging will be filled by those who will send Kenya on the path of revolution which may destroy what is left of our social fabric,” Canon Karanja said in his message to the two principals.
The council also expressed concern with the slow process of setting up the Independent Interim Electoral Commission (IIEC) and urged President Kibaki to recall Parliament to set up the team.
The Parliamentary Select Committee on the constitution review on Thursday failed to agree on the nominee for IIEC chairman, and instead called for fresh applications after lawyer Cecil Miller failed to secure the support of MPs.
Mr Miller was rejected after lawmakers argued against his credibility, experience and political affiliation.
The PSC also dropped the inclusion of Suleiman Buko and Charles Masinde from the Coast and Western Provinces respectively.
Mr Buko was rejected for having participated in the 2007 December election as a deputy returning officer for Garsen constituency, which is represented by Assistant Minister Danson Mungatana, who is a PSC member.
Concern was raised that Mr Buko did not disclose that he had worked for the ECK in his application or during the interview.
Mr Masinde’s appointment was questioned following assertions that he was an official of New FORD Kenya.
Ikolomani MP Bonny Khalwale however produced documents in Parliament showing that Mr Masinde had ceased being a member of the party but this did not change the stand of the MPs.
Those whose names were retained are Tiya Galgalo, Hamara Adan, Kenneth Nyaundi, Yusuf Nzibo, Winfred Nguchu and David Chirchir.
At Friday’s press conference, the NCCK also threw its weight behind the report of the UN Rapportuer on extrajudicial killings that called for the resignation of the Attorney General Amos Wako and the sacking of Police Commissioner Major General Hussein Ali.
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