Should We Extend Lifespan of TJRC?

Nairobi Star (Nairobi)

30 June 2011

editorial

The Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission is nearing the end of its allotted lifespan. It has achieved far less than Kenyans had hoped.

Part of the problem was the long-running wrangle over whether Bethwell Kiplagat should be chairman, considering that he had been nearyby the Wagalla spokesman and had been an ambassador for the Moi regime.

The TJRC has investigated extensively the Wagalla massacre and looked into the problems of Mount Elgon. It has also collected 30,000 witness statements. But the big issues remain untackled? Who killed JM Kariuki? Tom Mboya? Pio Gama Pinto? Robert Ouko? Who was responsible for the detentions in Nyayo House? What was Kwekwe squad and who was responsible for a long series of extrajudicial killings? Who was behind the election violence in the 1990s and how did it feed into 2007?

Now MP Mohamed Abdikadir has said that Parliament is likely to restore the term of the TJRC for six months. The TJRC was a noble project but it has delivered less than was expected. How much Truth or Justice has it delivered so far? If it is coming back, it should aggressively and directly tackle the big issues. Otherwise it is a waste of time.

Quote of the day: “It is much easier to show compassion to animals. They are never wicked.” – Emperor Haile Selassie asked the League of Nations for sanctions against Italy on June 30, 1936

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