ODM defies Raila and rejects Waki report

ODM on Thursday rejected the Waki report on post-election violence as its leaders said they would resist attempts to charge any of the those named in a secret list of suspected perpetrators.

Several Cabinet ministers criticised Prime Minister Raila Odinga over his stand that the Waki report be implemented in full.

Among those who took on the PM were ministers Charity Ngilu, Wycliffe Oparanya, Dalmas Otieno and Fred Gumo.

The list, with the names of six Cabinet ministers and five MPs, was handed over to chief mediator Kofi Annan.

It is to be forwarded to the International Criminal Court for the suspects to be tried at the Hague if the Government fails to set up a local tribunal by March 1.

PNU leaders are expected to issue an official statement on the report on Friday.

Stormy meeting

On Thursday, 75 ODM MPs — among them Mr Odinga and 11 Cabinet ministers — emerged from a four-hour stormy meeting and declared that the report contained “incurable errors”. They also said that it contradicted the Constitution.

Trouble began when Kipkelion MP Julius Kones said that all ODM leaders and MPs should be included in the list of suspects since they called for mass action, which led to the post-election chaos.

The post-election chaos, sparked by the announcement of disputed presidential election results on December 30, last year, left over 1,200 people dead and 300,000 displaced.

Mrs Ngilu said that Mr Odinga and President Kibaki should top the list of suspects because the rest were acting on their behalf.

However, Mr Odinga warned that the international community was watching Kenya to see whether it would implement the report.

And a group of NGO leaders asked the international community to step in to ensure that the report is implemented. They criticised ODM for rejecting it.

But in a strongly worded statement delivered at Parliament Buildings, the ODM MPs said: “ODM has resolved to reject the Waki report.”

The party leaders argued that the Waki report contained “fundamental flaws” and accused the commission of overstepping its the mandate by naming the suspects.

However, the US and German ambassadors to Kenya demanded that the Waki report be implemented in full. They also asked its critics to declare their fears.

The two, Mr Michael Ranneberger and Mr Walter Lindner, said the international community was watching keenly to see how the Government handles the Waki and Kriegler reports.

According to them, it was the responsibility of President Kibaki and Mr Odinga to ensure that the reports are implemented.