Ministers deny violence claim

Cabinet ministers accused by the official human rights watchdog of organising or funding the post-election violence have come out angrily protesting their innocence.

In a series of interviews with the Daily Nation, the ministers accused the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights of spreading lies and rumours in the report presented to the Commission of Inquiry led by judge Philip Waki.

Last Friday the Daily Nation exclusively reported details of the allegations against the Cabinet ministers and other leaders.

Now those accused have responded to the controversial report entitled ‘On the Brink of a Precipice: A Human Rights Account of Kenya’s Post-2007 Election Violence’.

Shameless lies

Agriculture minister William Ruto described the report as shameless lies, falsehoods, unbelievable, reckless, and one that is open to legal action. He said the human rights commission had failed in its work and should be ready to provide evidence to prove their allegations.

“I really sympathise with them because they are doomed. If they can concoct falsehoods, then the commission is not worth the piece of paper on which its logo is engraved. It is shameless lies,” he said.

He said KNCHR should live up to the integrity that is required of outfits that defend people’s rights. “For a commission that pretends to fight for human rights, it is unbelievable to do what they have done. They should be factual by going beyond rumours,” he said.

Mr Ruto told the human rights body to be ready to face the consequences of their report, including court action. “They better be prepared to provide the information to back up their allegations. If they have proof, they should go ahead and take us to court and I will be ready to face them. This is not a matter that they will get away with because they have to face the consequences,” he said.

An aide of Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta said they could only respond to the accusations once they have seen the report. “Which report? There have been several reports by the KNCHR. If we see the report you are referring to, then we can issue a comprehensive statement,” Mr Njee Muturi said.

Higher Education minister Sally Kosgei, one of those accused, described the claims as ridiculous and aimed at maligning some ministers and MPs. Dr Kosgei challenged the authors of the report to give details of meetings allegedly called to plan the violence.

“Let them say where the meetings took place, who was present, how much money was involved, who were given the money and where they were sent.

These are attempts to pick up people’s names to malign them. It is totally ridiculous,” she said.

The minister said she was the first politician to call for an end to the violence when it broke out. Immediately the violence broke out, Dr Kosgei said, she rushed to her constituency and worked closely with the police to end the fighting.

“Is that the kind of person who you can say organised violence? If there is such a report, I would happily go to court to clear myself. I challenge them to call and show me the report accompanied by the evidence,” she said.

Then she asked: “Does the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights say they believe the report? This is mere hearsay.”

National Heritage minister William ole Ntimama dismissed the report saying it was biased against ODM MPs. “There are some people who were mentioned in previous versions of the report by the KNCHR. Why are they not included? This is being biased against ODM.”

The Narok North MP denied ever making inflammatory statements and challenged the commission to provide evidence. Mr Ntimama claimed there was no election violence in Narok as claimed. “Everybody knows that there was no fighting in Narok and I want you to tell them to provide evidence,” he said.

Tourism minister Najib Balala described the report as fake and also claimed that it was targeting ODM MPs. He denied giving youths Sh500 each to unleash violence in Mombasa and challenged the report’s authors to provide evidence. For the report to be credible, he said, it should have mentioned all names, beginning with the top leadership of the country.

Report is fake

“I don’t give out handouts because it is a culture I came in to stop. This report is fake,” he said, adding that demonstrations in Mombasa following the announcement of the disputed presidential election results were peaceful and legal.

“The violence in Mombasa... was mass action and only one person was killed because he was mentally challenged and went the wrong way where he encountered police. They can try to victimise and intimidate us but we will take legal action,” he said.

Assistant minister Kabando wa Kabando declined to comment on the incitement claims saying he had not read the report, saying, he had not seen the report.