Monday, 27 May 2013

Raila Odinga calls for implementation of Truth Justice and Reconciliation Commission report

“Without the truth, there can be no justice. Without justice, there is no reconciliation and without reconciliation, there cannot be peace and without peace there is no development,”..........echos something? No RAO no Peace.......

 Sunday, May 26th 2013, By Allan Kisia and Abigail Sum
Kenya: Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga has demanded full implementation of the recommendations made in the recently released report by the Truth Justice and Reconciliation Commission (TJRC).
Raila said Kenyans want to know the truth about past injustices and appropriate action taken against the culprits before the country can forge ahead.
“There is a new term that is being used all the time. Kenyans are being asked to move on. Move on to where? You cannot move on without knowing the truth,” stated the former Premier.
He appealed to Kenyans not to fear knowing details of past injustices arguing that the truth will set them free.

“Without the truth, there can be no justice. Without justice, there is no reconciliation and without reconciliation, there cannot be peace and without peace there is no development,” he explained.
The report released last Tuesday, senior government officials and politicians are among those recommended for prosecution.
President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto are among those adversely mentioned over the 2008 post-election violence but no recommendations were made against them since they’re facing charges before the International Criminal Court.
Enough officers
While receiving the report from TJRC chairperson Bethuel Kiplagat, Uhuru said the Government would take the recommendations of the report seriously and promised that he will commit himself to healing and reconciliation of the country.
Sunday, Raila said Uhuru has an obligation to publish the report as soon as possible before taking it to the National Assembly for debate and appealed on the MPs to respond to their call of duty and debate the report without any bias.
“Members of Parliament should be patriotic and discuss the matter in a manner that is fair. It is not a question of Jubilee or CORD but a question of Kenya. Even if my name is mentioned, don’t look at it as Raila,” he added.
He advised that those who have been mentioned adversely in the report should not be relied upon during the formation of a commission that will spearhead the implementation of recommendations.
Kenya could borrow a leaf from South Africa where such a report was successfully implemented.
“We want to close that chapter of our lives. South Africa had a similar situation and after the report was written, people went to court, confessed about their evils and asked for forgiveness,” he explained.
Raila was speaking at a church service at Gethsemane Ministry in Nairobi’s Embakasi West Constituency.
With him were MPs Simba Arati (Dagoretti North), Fred Outa (Nyando), Manson Nyamweya (South Mugirango) and Paul Otuoma (Funyula).

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