Imams want action on Waki report

The Waki Commission’s report should be implemented in full, the Council of Imams and Preachers of Kenya (CIPK) said on Thursday.

However, the CIPK secretary-general, Sheikh Mohammed Dor, said Mr Justice Philip Waki erred by failing to give the alleged perpetrators of post-election violence a chance to defend themselves before forwarding 10 names in an envelop to chief mediator Kofi Annan.

Addressing a press conference in Mombasa, Sheikh Dor said full implementation of the report would end the cycle of election violence in the country.

The council’s organising secretary, Sheikh Mohammed Khalifa, said failure to implement the report would be denying Kenyans justice as has been the case with previous commissions of inquiry.

“In Kenya, every election is marred by violence, deaths, and destruction of property yet no action is taken by the Government. In order to put an end to all these injustices, we call for the implementation of the recommendations of the Waki report in full,” said Sheikh Khalifa.

On the US elections, the council congratulated President-elect Barack Obama on his historic victory.

The council’s treasurer, Sheikh Hassan Omar, asked Mr Obama to fulfil his pre-election promises and bring about change “against the injustices brought about by outgoing President George Bush’s administration, especially in the Muslim world”.

“We have high hopes that Obama’s government will bring about change as he promised. As Muslims, the pulling out of troops from Iraq and bringing about justice in Afghanistan and Palestine are some of the key points that we are looking out for,” said Sheikh Omar.
Sheikh Dor asked other leaders “to join the council in condemning the Mandera clashes and the rendition of Kenyans to Ethiopia”.