The Noose Tightens
The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights has been cleared to release its report, “On the Brink of the Precipice: A Human Rights Account of Kenya’s Post-2007 Election.” In this account a number of members of government and other public officials, including cabinet ministers, are fingered for their role in fomenting violence. Given that there are no provisions for amnesty for politicians involved in the post-election chaos, prepare for some instability within Kenyan politics, and perhaps for even more violence, though nothing that will match that which took place in the wake of the polling.
There is no guarantee that the commission report will be published, as the KNCHR’s does not enjoy the same level of protection as the commission of inquiry, meaning that those named could file defamation suits if they believe they are wrongly accused. Nonetheless the noose is tightening around the necks of some people who once thought themselves invulnerable. The names of those responsible for some of the worst of the violence are known. The actual publication of the report is almost a moot point.