Civil society divided over truth team role

Civil society organisations were on Friday divided over whether to support the truth commission or demand that it be disbanded.

The divisions emerged at a meeting at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre to discuss how civil society should relate with the Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission.

Immediate resignation

Organisations allied to the Kenya Transitional Justice Network resolved to stop working with the TJRC and demanded the immediate resignation of chairman Bethuel Kiplagat.

Led by the executive director of the International Centre for Policy and Conflict Ndung’u Wainaina and activist Okiya Omtatah, the groups said they will find other ways of helping victims.

“We will use other legal means like the newly created constitutional and Agenda 4 organs on historical injustices to fight for their rights,” said a statement read by Mr Omtatah.

They also demanded that the Chief Justice acts on a petition by other commissioners for him to appoint a tribunal to investigate Mr Kiplagat.

However, their proposals were vociferously rejected by a section of activists and victims who said threw their weight behind the truth team.

Led by Centre for Human Rights and Democracy head Ken Wafula, this group said they had been coerced by their colleagues to endorse the statement.

“These are people based in Nairobi who do not speak on behalf of the victims suffering in the rural areas,” he said. Mr Wafula said the commission should be left to do its job.