Hague talk brings fear and hope of justice

• Former president Moi leads vigorous reconciliation drive to avert a future outbreak of election-related chaos

Former President Moi is leading efforts to reconcile communities in the vast Rift Valley region to prevent a future outbreak of violence.

Mr Moi, who has threatened to “name and shame” local politicians trying to incite their constituents into fresh violence, held various peace rallies in the area, and hosted a number of delegations at his Kabarak home.

The retired President has always accused Rift Valley politicians of fanning the violence during the 2007 campaigns that later turned chaotic following the declaration of President Kibaki of PNU the winner against ODM’s Prime Minister Raila Odinga.

Mr Moi supported President Kibaki’s re-election and campaigned for him.

Three of his sons, Gideon (Baringo Central) Jonathan (Eldama Ravine) and Raymond (Rongai), also ran on Kanu tickets. They all lost.

Mr Moi’s property in Eldama Ravine and Kuresoi was destroyed during the violence.

At a recent graduation ceremony for more than 1,000 peace campaigners in Nakuru, the former Head of State accused some influential politicians of not promoting reconciliation. He pledged to work with those politicians who were interested in restoring harmony.

Among the first politicians to support Mr Moi’s initiative were Nakuru county councillors and their Nakuru Municipal Council counterparts who paid him a courtesy call at his home.

Last month, a large youth gathering hosted by Mr Moi in Nakuru’s Nyayo Gardens, which was expected to bring together youths from the Kikuyu and Kalenjin communities, was not without controversy.

There have been claims that only a “handful” of Kalenjin youths turned up, with the larger percentage of the 10,000 or so participants being Kikuyu.

Mr Moi also dismissed efforts by powerful politicians in Rift Valley and their Mount Kenya counterparts to establish what is being touted as a “KK” alliance, describing it as an ethnic outfit with an outdated agenda.

Rift Valley politician, Mrs Linah Kilimo, who is also assistant minister for Cooperative Development, attended the peace rallies accompanied by former nominated MP Mark Too and Mr Ezekiel Barng’etuny.

Mr Moi called on the government to consider putting the youth in the country’s agenda to contain rising unemployment, which had forced some of them to join outlawed militia groups.

The leaders questioned the government’s commitment to deal with impunity.

A former MP for Kikuyu, Mr Paul Muite, urged the government to find ways in which young Kenyans from different ethnic backgrounds could work together to ensure that the violence witnessed in 2008 did not recur. He said the nation needed to be exorcised from the curse of tribalism and ethnic chauvinism.

An assistant minister for Roads, Mr Lee Kinyanjui, said he regretted that a number of promises had not been met by the government.

He said the resettlement of internal refugees had been forgotten and these victims of election violence were suffering because of greedy politicians.

The Nakuru Town MP said that there were about 5,000 refugees camped at Pipeline area after they refused to return to their homes, claiming their security was not guaranteed.

Mr Kinyanjui also made reference to the recent report released by the UN special rapporteur, Prof Philip Alston, on extra judicial killings, which indicted the Police Force, the Attorney- General’s office other institutions in the country.

He said that, if the recommendations of the report were not acted upon, “we might have a worse scenario in 2012.”

“Keeping peace is everyone’s responsibility, and it must start from individuals. Kenyans must always remember what happened last year and the day that the National Accord was signed should be observed as a national holiday called the National Cohesion and Healing Day,” Mr Kinyanjui said.

Other leaders who spoke at the peace rallies said the two Grand Coalition Government principals should focus on implementing Agenda 4 of the National Accord, as well as addressing national and regional socio-economic and political issues.

Judicial reforms

They also called for, among other pressing issues, constitutional, institutional, police, land and judicial reforms.

They said the government must urgently address youth unemployment, poverty, inequity, access to opportunity and regional imbalances in addition to consolidating national cohesion, promoting transparency and accountability in the affairs of government and fighting corruption.

Reported by Simon Siele, Peter Ng’etich, George Sayagie and Macharia Mwangi