KOFI ANNAN PRESS STATEMENT ON PARLIAMENT'S FAILURE

UNCLAS NAIROBI 000279 SIPDIS DEPT FOR AF/E, DRL FOR MOLLIE DAVIS E.O.12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM KDEM ENRG SENV SOCI KE SUBJECT: KOFI ANNAN PRESS STATEMENT ON PARLIAMENT'S FAILURE TO ESTABLISH SPECIAL TRIBUNAL ¶1. Kenya's Parliament on February 12 rejected a constitutional amendment to establish a Special Tribunal to try perpetrators, organizers, and financiers of the post- election violence that occurred in the wake of Kenya's botched 2007 general elections (Septel). Creation of a Special Tribunal was one of the key recommendations of the Commission of Inquiry into Post-election Violence, which was established as part of the Kofi Annan-led mediation efforts that ended Kenya's post-election crisis. On February 13, Kofi Annan issued the following press statement: Begin Text: Panel of Eminent African Personalities H.E KOFI ANNAN ON THE DEFEAT OF THE CONSTITUTION OF KENYA AMENDMENT BILL IN PARLIAMENT 13 February 2009 I am disappointed that the Constitution of Kenya Amendment Bill 2009, which would have paved the way for the establishment of a Special Tribunal in Kenya, was defeated in Parliament yesterday. This development is a major setback to the implementation of the recommendations of the Commission of Inquiry into the Post-Election Violence (CIPEV). I believe it is also a blow to efforts aimed at ending the culture of impunity in Kenya, which is a central objective of the Kenya National Dialogue and Reconciliation process. Ending impunity is critical to addressing the root causes of the crisis that engulfed Kenya last year. The findings of the just-released independent report on the implementation of the KNDR agreements and the defeat of the bill have underscored the absolute necessity for Kenya's political leadership to live up to their responsibilities and to redouble their efforts to implement the agreements, particularly those under Agenda Item Four, if Kenya is to avoid a recurrence of violence in the immediate future. The CIPEV report was clear in its recommendations, which the Government has accepted. The Panel will now review the actions it should take in line with the spirit, letter and intent of that report. End Text. RANNEBERGER