By LEAH GONDI-OGONDI and CYRUS OMBATI
Kenya: The Truth Justice and Reconciliation Commission (TJRC) gave all persons adversely mentioned in its report a chance to defend themselves.
Invitations were sent out to persons who had been mentioned requiring them to not only record their statements and submit memoranda, but also to respond to the allegations made against them.
“Many of the adversely mentioned persons opted to respond to allegations of their involvements to violations as opposed to recording statements and submitting memorandum when the statement taking exercise was opened,” says the report.
There are more than 400 people adversely mentioned in the report, which has generated heated debate.
The commission was required to provide “repentant perpetrators or participants in gross human rights violations with a forum to confess their actions as a way of reconciliation”.
The report says their response to allegations were characterised by denial of involvement and knowledge of violations. TJRC Chairman Ambassador Bethuel Kiplagat is among those cited in the report as having denied the allegations of involvement in ‘a security operation’ just days before the Wagalla Massacre took place.
The report adds that even while some admitted knowing the existence of the violations, they defended and justified their action and at times blamed others for the violations.
The report says past experiences with the work of truth commissions and commissions of inquiry around the world have shown that a major challenge lies in the implementation of the recommendations.
