US war crimes envoy jets in for talks on reforms

By Lucianne Limo

US Ambassador-at-Large for War Crimes Stephen J Rapp is in Kenya for discussions with Government officials on reforms and the whereabouts of genocide suspect Felicien Kabuga.

A statement from the US Embassy, Nairobi, said the envoy plans to discuss political and legal reforms relating to political violence and war crimes in Central and Eastern Africa.

The envoy jetted into the country from Tanzania.

Rapp is expected to discuss Kenya’s co-operation with the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) on Kabuga’s whereabouts.

The envoy will also be seeking Government position on the development of an effective witness protection programme for those who will testify against suspected perpetrators of post-election violence.

Last November, Rapp accused the Kibaki and Moi regimes of refusing to hand over the fugitive, with a $5 million bounty on his head, to the ICTR.

Credible information

Rapp, who addressed international and local media at US Ambassador Michael Ranneberger’s residence, said America had "credible information on the fugitive’s location and powerful people protecting him".

Rapp told the Press the US came closer to arresting Kabuga in 1997, but the Government, at the time, thwarted the efforts. The Government has, however, maintained it was not aware of Kabuga’s whereabouts.

On Tuesday while in Tanzania, Rapp reiterated his office has intelligence reports the alleged financier of the 1994 Rwanda genocide was still in Kenya. Rapp spoke at the end of a visit to ICTR in Arusha, Tanzania.