Orengo and Kingi added to the Geneva team

Former Kabete MP Paul Muite and Lands minister James Orengo join faithfuls of Obida Catholic church in Ugenya district in a church service cum fundraiser. The Lands Minister had on the occassion stated that ODM will send a parallel delegation to Geneva over the Prof Philip Arlston report. Orengo was on Monday included in the Geneva delegation. Photo/DAN OBIERO

President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga yesterday agreed that two more ministers join the Kenyan delegation to Geneva, Switzerland.

During a meeting at State House, Nairobi, the two principals agreed to include Lands minister James Orengo and his East African Affairs counterpart Amason Kingi in the team expected to defend the government over a UN report on extrajudicial killings.

On Sunday, Mr Odinga demanded the reconstitution of the team, saying it was not representative of the government.

The ODM had argued that the team, comprising of Attorney General Amos Wako, Justice minister Mutula Kilonzo and Internal Security minister George Saitoti, “represented the PNU wing of the government”.

On Monday, President Kibaki and Mr Odinga directed the expanded team to meet before Wednesday and agree on a joint position.

UN Special Rapporteur Phillip Alston is expected to table the report on extrajudicial killings in Kenya at the 11th session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on Wednesday.

Rights groups

And human rights groups will be in Geneva to support the Alston report.

Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) vice-chairman Hassan Omar Hassan, accompanied by two other human rights officials, will argue for the report.

Based on the outcome of the presentations the UN rights council could adopt Prof Alston’s report, meaning Kenya will receive more international pressure to implement the UN special rapporteur’s recommendations.