Annan to delay envelope for two more months

By Abiya Ochola and PPS

Kenya has until May to establish a local Special Tribunal before the African Union hands over names of suspects to the International Criminal Court at The Hague.

The grace period is, however, dependent on how the Government engages stakeholders in efforts to implement recommendations by the Waki Commission.

The new developments came even as the Commonwealth asked Kenya to adopt a middle ground between The Hague and a local tribunal in the search for justice for victims of post-election violence.

Prime Minister Raila Odinga disclosed that Former UN secretary general Kofi Annan will hold on to the envelop a little longer to give the Government of Kenya time to sort out issues that led to the collapse of attempts to create a local tribunal to try election violence suspects.

"Annan had expressed willingness to delay the handing over of the names in the envelop to The Hague until Kenya has completely failed to handle the matter locally. That window may remain open for at most two months, by which time the Government hopes to have convinced enough MPs to support a local tribunal," Raila said.

Raila told Commonwealth Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma, who had paid a courtesy call on him yesterday afternoon, that he had discussed with Annan the developments that led to the defeat of the tribunal Bill in Parliament last week.

Mr Sharma said Kenya could try a middle way between The Hague and the local tribunal.

Local trial

He said Kenya could set up a tribunal made of foreign judges and legal experts but try the suspects locally.

The secretary general said Commonwealth would provide assistance should Kenya ask for it.

Mr Sharma said he was happy with the progress Kenya had made since the peace agreement was signed.

For the first time, Raila came out openly saying MPs handed the Government a humiliating defeat by supporting The Hague option for different reasons.

Among the reasons, Raila said, were fears that a local tribunal would be manipulated while another group favoured The Hague out of belief that it would be a lengthy process that would take at least six years before kicking off, if it ever does.

Raila said of all the steps taken since the peace deal was signed, the implementation of the Waki Report had been the most difficult.

 

 

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