Govt insensitive to PEV victims, say CORD leaders

Kisumu, Kenya: Coalition for Reform and Democracy (CORD) leaders have accused the Jubilee government of being insensitive to the victims of the 2007/2008 Post-election Violence.

The leaders said Jubilee coalition leaders have forgotten about the victims and are instead concentrating on the president's case.

The CORD leaders who spoke to The Standard on phone said their decision to boycot the special session with President Uhuru Kenyatta was because they were concerned about the fate of the victims.

Member of the National Assembly for Ugunja Opiyo Wandayi said he could not be a party to impunity of whatever shade or form by attending a sitting yet the victims have been abandoned.

"This is a House sitting that does not warrant attendance by any principled legislator who cherishes democracy and his people," said Wandayi.

Homa Bay Town MP Peter Kaluma said accompanying the president to The Hague or sitting down to listen to him is being insensitive to the victims, adding that several of whom come from his constituency.

"I cannot sit down and give the president idle audience as a statue over legal matters better addressed in court," said Kaluma, who claimed the invite by the Speaker lacked an agenda and he wouldn't attend out of leadership and principle.

He added that PEV victims should be considered and that the president should carry his own cross instead of dragging other leaders and parliament into it.

His Nyando counterpart Fred Outa said during the post-election violence many people's lives changed due to the loss they incurred.

Outa said many lost property worth millions while some lost many people they loved through killings that happened in most parts of the country.

"It is very unfortunate that some leaders have forgotten those still in camps and others who are maimed during the post-election violence,” he said.

A delegation of about 140 legislators and senior government officials have already applied for visas at the Dutch embassy and would be accompanying President Uhuru to The Hague Court.

Mombasa Senator Hassan Omar said he would not attend the session as a show of respect to victims of the PEV.

During the weekend CORD leader Raila Odinga insisted that it was important that the country put everything that happened during the 2007/2008 behind but only after the perpetrators of the violence are brought to book.

Raila said other options should be explored to bring the perpetrators to book including full implementation of the Truth Justice and Reconciliation (TJRC) report so that the victims are completely healed.

He said victims of PEV are all over, other Internally Displaced Persons (IDP)s are living with relatives yet the perpetrators are walking freely.

"The Jubilee government is not up to the task in providing a solution for the victims of the violence as they have demonstrated so far," said Raila.