TJRC seeks mandate extension

The commission set up to investigate past injustices and lead reconciliation efforts in Kenya is seeking an extension of its mandate.

The Truth Justice and Reconciliation Commission chairperson Mrs Tecla Namachanja said they would be seeking an additional six months since it was  impossible to complete their task by the November deadline.

The commission established in 2009, had been given up to November this year to complete its work.

However, Ms Namachanja said credibility, leadership wrangles as well as financial problems that had previously rocked the commission had delayed their work by at least six months.

“There is no way we can complete our work in time...we are therefore going to seek an extension of our mandate by around six months to enable us finish our work as required,” she said during a breakfast meeting with religious leaders at the Hilton Hotel, Nairobi Thursday.  

Since its establishment, the commission has been dogged with a credibility crisis, especially involving former Chairman Bethwel Kiplagat, who civil society groups argued was serving in government when some injustices were committed.

Mr Kiplagat has been accused of being part of the government machinery involved in the alleged cover-up of the murder of former Foreign Affairs minister Robert Ouko.

It has also been rocked by leadership wrangles, which saw deputy chair Betty Murungi resign saying that she found it difficult to discharge her duties given the allegations facing Mr Kiplagat.

Mr Kiplagat has since stepped aside to pave way for a tribunal appointed by former Chief Justice Evan Gicheru to investigate the allegations levelled against him.

Another commissioner, Prof Ronald Slye, also threatened to resign, citing similar grounds only to change his mind once Mr Kiplagat announced that he was stepping aside to face his accusers at the tribunal.

The tribunal is chaired by retired Judge William Deverell assisted by retired judges Benjamin Kubo and Prof Onesmus Mutungi.

On Thursday, Mrs Namachanja said that apart from the wrangles, they had also faced financial problems but added that this was now a thing of the past.

“Our entire budget is Sh1.2 billion. We were initially allocated Sh190 million which we have already used to steer the commission where it is now,” she said.

“The government has however promised us that in the supplementary budget, we will be allocated Sh500 million, which will be used to facilitate the public hearings that will commence soon.”

The Acting chair also dispelled rumours that the public had lost faith in the commission.

“We have received more that 21,000 statements and 300 memoranda from Kenyans who feel that injustices had been committed against them. This is not a small number. It shows that people still have faith in us,” she said.

At the meeting, the religious leaders complained that they had been left out of the TJRC process. Others wanted the commission reconstituted to fully incorporate them in their activities.

“There is no place in the world where a TJRC is constituted without the inclusion of religious leaders. We therefore want this commission to be reconstituted,” said Bishop Dr Joseph Mathiu.

Reverend Oliver Kisaka , the deputy general secretary of the National Council of Churches of Kenya, hoped the commission will undertake and complete its mandate as was required.

The TJRC is part of the accountability component of Agenda Four of the National Accord signed in 2008.