Kenyan president rules out amnesty for post-poll rioters
June 1st, 2008 - 8:38 pm ICT by adminXinhua
Nairobi, June 1 (Xinhua) Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki Sunday ruled out general amnesty to perpetrators of the post-election violence which rocked the east African nation in the wake of disputed presidential elections and kleft at least 1,000 killed. Kibaki said the government would not allow the amnesty, noting that those responsible for the deadly unrest must be brought to book.
“The government will not spare those who organized the gangs that caused the mayhem. Those who took part in wanton acts of violence by engaging in senseless murder of innocent citizens, destruction of property or rape will face the full force of the law,” Kibaki said during the celebrations to mark Kenya’s 45th anniversary of self-rule.
President Kibaki said the recurrence of violence, especially during the period before or after general elections was something that must be rejected by all and efforts must be made to prevent the recurrence of such incidents.
The Kenyan leader directed that most of the criminal cases involving the suspected perpetrators be expedited so that those who are innocent could be set free.
His remarks came amid sharp divisions among ministers allied to Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s Orange Democratic Party (ODP) and Kibaki’s Party of National Unity (PNU) over the issue of amnesty.
Ministers of the coalition government belonging to the ODP are calling for amnesty, an appeal rejected by the ODP.
Thousands of people are still being held by the police in connection with violence in December and January that killed over 1,000 people and displaced hundreds of thousands.
Xinhua
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