Truth team boss comes out fighting

Their lawyer, Mr Wanyiri Kihoro, argues that Mr Kiplagat cannot reconcile Kenyans who think his background is partisan. ‘‘He has been a beneficiary of impunity perpetrated by the Kanu regime,’’ the lawyer says. The Centre for Multi-Party Democracy and anti-corruption lobby Mars Group has also called for Mr Kiplagat’s resignation.

The group says the commission is suffering ‘‘a real crisis of public confidence’’ because of some of the commissioners. ‘‘Mr Kiplagat and several commissioners are losing public trust in important quarters,’’ said Mars Group in a statement.

Mr Kiplagat describes as an ‘‘absurdity’’ claims that he supported Mozambican Renamo rebel group, together with Mr Tiny Rowland, then chief executive of the UK-based multi-national Lonrho. According to former political detainee Kathangu, Mr Kiplagat set up an office for the Renamo fighters in Nairobi’s Chester House from 1984 and hosted Mozambican dissidents, including their leader, Afonso Dhlakama.

Kenya provided Renamo officials with travel documents, with the support of Mr Kiplagat, then President Moi’s man in the Mozambican peace negotiations. Kenya is the only country in the region which accepted to provide the rebels with passports. It is said that towards the end of the war, Kenya provided significant military training and channelled arms to the rebels.