Kenyan cabinet meets as planned
2008-05-22 13:05
Nairobi - Kenya's coalition cabinet met on Thursday amid a rift over calls for an amnesty for those involved in post-election violence that saw more than 1 000 people killed.
A deal brokered by former United Nations chief Kofi Annan saw a power-sharing government sworn in this April after disputed election results led to months of brutal violence.
However, a dispute had broken out between Prime Minister Raila Odinga's Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) and President Mwai Kibaki's Party of National Unity (PNU) over what should be done with those being held for their part in the violence.
Odinga, whose supporters took to the streets after he said the elections had been stolen from him, wanted to see them pardoned. Kibaki's party said the fate of those arrested should be left up to the courts.
Cops ordered to shoot at youths
The Daily Nation newspaper quoted Agriculture Minister William Ruto as saying: "The people we are talking about here are the boys who came out to demonstrate against the disputed elections.
"The ODM called for protests and the PNU ordered police to shoot at the youths to quell the protests. The police are as guilty as anyone," he added.
Much of the mayhem and murder, including the burning of a church in which 35 died in the town of Eldoret, took place outside the capital city.
Hundreds of thousands fled their homes as members of rival tribes affiliated to the parties clashed. Many of them were afraid to return home for fear of further attacks.
Justice Minister Martha Karua believed that letting those responsible for killing go unpunished would lead to a culture of impunity.
"This is a matter that decides whether our country is under the rule of law or the rule of the jungle," she said.
Some analysts believed that the cabinet's massive size - it comprised 40 ministers and 52 assistant ministers - and inter-party squabbles over issues such as the amnesty would ultimately threaten its longevity.
However, Information Minister Samuel Poghisio played down the amnesty issue, saying that it was not a bone of contention during the Annan-brokered talks.
Sapa-dpa
- SAPA