Rights group petitions CJ over Kiplagat

Chief Justice Evan Gicheru has been asked to form a tribunal to investigate the conduct of Mr Bethuel Kiplagat, the chairman of the Truth Justice and Reconciliation Commission (TJRC).

Civil society activists on Thursday presented a petition to Mr Justice Gicheru supporting their demands. This is not the first time Mr Kiplagat is facing revolt. Political activists have filed a case challenging his appointment.

The group questioned his credibility, saying Mr Kiplagat could not lead the commission because he served in the Kanu government which perpetuated the crimes being investigated.

Appointment broke law

The case is pending in court. In the petition on Thursday, the activists said Mr Kiplagat’s appointment contravened the TJRC Act.

The Act requires that the chairman be a person of good character and integrity, and must not have been implicated in any human rights violations.

The applicants claim Mr Kiplagat lacks these attributes. They also claimed Mr Kiplagat was not forthright on the murder of former Foreign Affairs minister Robert Ouko and the alleged land grabbing in the Ndung’u report.

These allegations, they claim, expose TJRC to operational and legal bottlenecks unless the investigations are conducted.