Ethiopian Review

Nairobi — Prime Minister Raila Odinga has refuted claims of division in the cabinet over the trial of post election violence perpetrators.

Odinga said what has been happening is extensive and intensive consultation with members given a chance to voice their concerns.

Odinga however faulted the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) for what he called “condemning some individuals without due process of the law”.

Addressing parliament, Odinga noted with concern that the report made public by the government’s human rights watch dog indicted some individuals of being architects of the post poll chaos before giving them a chance to defend themselves.

This he said was unethical and a breach of the law.

Odinga said in his wisdom Justice Waki who led a commission inquiring into the post-election violence noted the need for further investigations on individuals mentioned and hence found it prudent not to name anyone in public.

The PM noted that even the International Criminal Court prosecutor Moreno Ocampo opened the envelope but never made public its content as the law presupposes one innocent till proven guilty.

Odinga however categorically stated that was no stalemate in the cabinet over the trial of post election suspects and that the cabinet was well aware that returning the defeated bill back to parliament was suicidal and the only option standing tall was The Hague.

MPs however criticized the two principals claiming they had failed to rein in the cabinet to lead the nation in dealing with those behind the chaos.

Some members of the cabinet have been cited as saying the ICC has too much on its hands and would take long to start investigating the Kenyan case.

However there are those who are of the opinion that the process might be interfered with by protests among the supporters of certain individuals if they are tried locally.

The premier urged MPs to have faith in a local trial saying it was ironical for parliament to reject the tribunal it had supported when adopting the Waki report that recommended the formation of a special local tribunal.

- By Graham Kirwa | KBC