Annan declares reform on track
The trial of perpetrators of post-election will not derail the implementation of the new Constitution.
That was the verdict of Mr Kofi Annan, the man who negotiated the National Accord that ended violence in 2008.
Speaking at the end of the Kenya National Dialogue and Reconciliation Conference, Mr Annan asked Kenyans not to view the investigations by the International Criminal Court as targeting communities or sections of society.
“The ICC process is about ending the culture of impunity, it is not about sections of the society or communities,” Mr Annan said.
He urged Kenyans to support the ICC so that those who suffered the brunt of the violence get justice.
Responding to claims by some MPs that the ICC process had been politicised and was targeting certain politicians, Mr Annan maintained that all ICC was interested in was to deliver justice.
“Those politicians making those allegations are the ones who are politicising the matter.
“ICC has no candidate for 2012,” he stated. He expressed concern that the focus was shifting from the pursuit to deliver justice to the victims of the violence to the motive of Mr Ocampo’s investigations.
“We are now questioning why some individuals are being brought to account. If we do not speak for the victims, who will?” he asked.
Mr Annan maintained that the ICC was an independent body not subject to direction from an quarters.
“The ICC process is an independent process so I do not expect governments, whether in Europe or Africa, to interfere with it. Ocampo will go where the evidence leads him to,” he said.
The chief mediator also called on the government to move fast and resettle the internally displaced persons still languishing in camps. He said, he had raised the matter with President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
He also asked the government to ensure that the IDPs were compensated for the loss of property during the violence. He called on Parliament and the Executive to work in harmony to meet the strict implementation deadlines in the Constitution.
He also urged Kenyans and the civil society to continue exerting pressure on the government to implement the new constitution to the letter as it held the key to security, the rule of law and economic development.
“To my friends in the civil society, I urge you to remain vigilant and keep up the pressure on the government,” he stated.
Mr Annan welcomed the public’s resolve to tackle corruption by piling pressure on the government to weed out errant public officers.
“What is exciting about Kenya is that people are demanding accountability in the management of public affairs,” he noted.
He allayed fears that competing interests in the grand coalition will slow down the implementation of the new constitution, saying any differences arising could be resolved by the two partners.
Mr Annan asked the government to put in place mechanisms for conflict resolution so that political differences do not stall the process of enacting laws to implement the new constitution.
“From what I have picked around, Kenyans want to go all the way and I will support them on that,” he said.
Earlier, Mr Annan warned that the culture of impunity was the greatest threat to a new Kenya.
Speaking at the conclusion of the second review conference on the national dialogue and reconciliation process, Dr Annan however expressed optimism that the reform agenda was largely on the right track.
