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President in move to allay
fears over land
THE STANDARD
Saturday October 15, 2005
By Peter Mutai
The Government will not pursue
former State officials implicated in human rights abuses when the
new constitution comes into force, President Kibaki said yesterday.
He instead said it would be upon
individuals who felt aggrieved to decide whether or not to move to
court and seek redress against those who wronged them.
"It is not the wish of the
Government to compel those accused of committing past human rights
abuses to account for their deeds," he said.
The President said the Government
will only ensure justice was granted to those who move to court
and stand by the truth.
Speaking at State House, Nakuru,
when he met members of the Kipsigis community, the President said
it was the duty the Government to protect the rights of all its
citizens.
And the President told Kalenjin
community that it was wrong for the Orange (No) campaign to
mislead them they had been targeted by a certain clause in the
proposed new constitution.
He was apparently alluding to
Schedule Six of the Draft Constitution Clause 16 that addresses
the enactment of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative
Justice.
Parliament is expected to within
six months of the adoption of the new constitution to enact
legislation to empower the commission to look into past human
rights abuses and those behind them.
The commission will also make
recommendation regarding prosecution, compensation, reconciliation
and reparation.
The Kipsigis leaders who were drawn
from Kericho, Buret, Bomet, Nakuru and Narok petitioned the
President on varied issues their community feels strongly about.
Those present during the meeting
included Cabinet ministers John Koech, Kipruto Kirwa, George
Saitoti, Amos Kimunya, John Michuki and Musikari Kombo.
Others were Assistant Ministers
Kipkalya Kones, Stephen Tarus, Alicen Chelaite and Kuresoi MP
Moses Cheboi.
Former nominated MP Mark Too and
former lands Permanent Secretary Joseah Sang were also present.
The President and his entourage
arrived in Nakuru in three helicopters shortly after 10 am and
were received by Rift Valley Provincial Commissioner Wilfred Ndolo.
The President said it was the duty
of the Government to protect the lives and property of citizens
and warned those spreading rumour to the contrary to desist from
the practice.
"The Government will stand by
the rights of all Kenyans and people should not create fear over
issues which will be handled through Parliament," the
President said.
He urged all communities living in
Rift Valley to co-exist harmoniously and forget the past and
reconcile in order for them to forge ahead in development.
The President urged the Kalenjin
community, not to feel threatened, saying the No (Banana) campaign
was using the clause in the proposed constitution claiming it
targeted them.
"Those are people out to
confuse members of the public and dupe them into rejecting the
proposed new constitution," he said.
On land issues, the President urged
the Kipsigis to ignore claims by opponents of the proposed
constitution whom he said were telling them their land will be
taken away should it be endorsed.
"We do not want to hear some
people misleading Kenyans that those with huge tracts of land will
lose them and that these will be allocated to the poor," he
said.
He said nobody has powers to take
away land from other people, adding that those who titles have a
right to own property and land.
He warned Kenyans against being
mislead to invade other people’s land and urged landowners not
to fear and stay put on their farms.
The President told foreigners who
own land in Kenya that the Government will not reposes their farms
and assured them that their rights are taken care off.
Earlier Kones, an Assistant
Minister for Public Works, urged President Kibaki to tell the
community how he will use the constitution should it sail through.
In response, the President said it
was meaningless for politicians to mislead the public on issues
touching on land, as the truth will come out one day.
On Thursday, the High Court in
Nakuru issued an injunction barring the issuance of title deeds to
12,000 members of the Ogiek community.
But yesterday, the President ruled
out the postponement of the issuance of titles to the minority
group and urged those who are not satisfied to seek legal redress.
"I will go to Olenguruone
tomorrow (today) to issue title deeds to the members of Ogiek
community as all plans have been finalised by the Ministry of
Lands," he said.
On Mau forest evictees, the
President said the Government will re-settled them.
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