Truth Justice and Reconciliation Commission wants all assassination reports made public

Tuesday, May 21st 2013, BY Caroline Rwenji
The Truth Justice and Reconciliation Commission wants all reports and materials of previous investigations into political assassinations in Kenya made public.
In a report presented to President Uhuru Kenyatta yesterday, the commission wants all relevant documentation made public in the next six months through the National Archives.
Furthermore, the commission says, within the next three months, President Uhuru should issue a public apology to the families of those assassinated and the nation.

A public apology, the report states, will be for the failure of previous governments to adequately investigate the killings.
The commission blamed political assassinations for worsening ethnic divisions and tensions in the country.
The assassination carried out for political reasons were found to be one of the methods used by the State and the political elite to repress dissent or eliminate political competition.
It was found that Pio Gama Pinto, Tom Mboya, J M Kariuki, Robert Ouko and Chrispine Odhiambo Mbai were murdered for their political beliefs.
“The Commission finds that the assassination of Pio Gama Pinto was motivated by ideological differences that were at the heart of the global Cold War but also mirrored in domestic Kenyan politics”, the report read.
Mr Mboya on his part was found to have been assassinated not only for his political beliefs but he was also found to pose a threat to the political establishment.
State official’s including members of the police and special branch were found to have assassinated Mr JM Kariuki.
Sufficient evidence was also found in the case of Dr Ouko with evidence linking Government officials in the assassination and the subsequent cover up.
Dr Mbai, a university don was found to have been killed for his political views related to his chairing of the Devolution Committee of the National Constitutional Conference.
The State is either unable or unwilling to engage in a process that would shed light on the death of Dr Mbai,” the report says.
TJRC recommended the Government establishes public memorials commemorating the lives of Gama Pinto, JM Kariuki, Dr Ouko, Catholic Priest Fr Anthony Kaiser and Dr Mbai.
It was further recomended that an independent prosecutor be appointed to The Commission recommending that an independent prosecutor be appointed to investigate the death of Fr Kaiser and warrants to prosecute individuals linked issued.