26 foreign missions praise report

Twenty six foreign missions on Thursday welcomed the recommendations of the Waki report and called for its implementation.

“We are studying closely the Commission’s report on the violence which followed the elections of December 2007....

“We encourage all those committed to Kenya’s stability and development to urgently consider the Commission’s findings and recommendations and take appropriate action,” the missions, which include 19 European Union member countries, said.

In a statement, the missions said international partners of Kenya “stand ready to consider support for their early implementation.”

They included Canada, Japan, Mexico, Norway, Switzerland, the United States and the European Commission.

The EU members, led by France which holds the Presidency, are Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, The Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom.

Taken forward

The Waki Report, the missions said, were a a critical part of the National Dialogue and Reconciliation process headed by former UN chief Kofi Annan.

“The recommendations of the CIPEV will need to be taken forward alongside those of the Independent Review Commission, the formation of the forthcoming Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission, the carrying out of the Constitutional Review process and other reforms to be undertaken under Agenda Item 4,” they said.

Mr Annan is expected to receive the report today together with the names of high profile Government officials, businessmen, politicians and police believed to be behind the chaos that left 1,333 people dead.

Sealed envelope

The names of the suspects are in a sealed in envelope that will only be opened if a special tribunal is formed to try the suspects or the names forwarded to the International Criminal Court.

The findings, which proposes among other things the formation of a tribunal to try perpetrators and financiers of the chaos represented a defining moment for Kenya to ensure that the appalling post-election violence is never repeated, the missions said.

“We reiterate our strong support for this process and our hope that the Kenyan people will seize this historic opportunity,” the missions said, applauding the Commission and its members for their commitment to fairness and impartiality.