KNCHR wants Tana politicians probed

By Lucianne Limo

The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) has called on the Government to investigate politicians from Tana River region following ethnic clashes. 

The State human rights body yesterday said politicians from that region should be blamed for the ethnic clashes pitting the Orma against the Pokomo that have left about 100 people dead.

“We cannot give names of the politicians who should be investigated and arrested, but the Government should use its intelligence and arrest the suspects,” said KNCHR programme officer Patrick Bunyote.

Bunyote said the commission had informed the Government of the planned retaliatory attacks by the Orma targeting the Pokomo but failed to act.

“How can 300 people organise themselves and attack a village without the national intelligence services having a clue?” posed Bunyonte.

The commission said the Government was not committed to ending the clashes saying the curfew imposed by President Kibaki was not the solution.

“The Solution to this crisis is the Government holding talks with the two warring groups to reconcile them,” he said during a Press conference at the KNCHR offices.

The commission raised concern that the Government officials visiting the area were biased and only held talks with one faction.

“We are concerned that the Government officials visiting the Tana Delta are holding discussions with only the Orma and not the Pokomo,”added Bunyote.

President Kibaki on Monday declared a dusk to dawn curfew in the area as 38 residents were killed weeks after 52 died in a similar attack.