MPs opposed Waki report, says cable

By PETER LEFTIE pmutibo@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted Friday, March 18 2011 at 22:00

In Summary

• Principals supported implementing of findings but faced fallout with their allies on the matter

President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga faced open rebellion from MPs when they called for the implementation of the Waki report, leaked American cables say.

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In the cables dated November 4, 2008, the two principals were said to be grappling with a likely fallout with their allies over the report which had recommended a special tribunal to prosecute those bearing the greatest responsibility for the post-election violence.

MPs allied to the two coalition partners were tacitly opposed to the report on the post-election violence, with 75 out of the 102 ODM lawmakers saying it contained “incurable errors” during a Parliamentary Group meeting held on October 30, 2008, the cables reported.

This position was likely to create a serious obstacle to the endorsement of the report by Parliament, the envoy had warned.

“Two weeks after release of the Commission of Inquiry into Post-Election Violence report, Kenya’s political leaders continue to publicly grapple with fallout,” US envoy Michael Ranneberger wrote in the cables wired to his superiors in Washington.

“Of particular contention is whether to implement the report’s recommendations for a special tribunal to try high-level organisers of post-election violence. President Mwai Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga have consistently called for implementation of the report. Kibaki’s Party of National Unity (PNU) has yet to take a position on the report, though indications are that there is serious resistance.”

Mr Ranneberger warned that the opposition to the report by a majority of ODM legislators was likely to undermine Mr Odinga’s leadership of the party.

“This opens the possibility of a challenge to Odinga’s leadership or split in ODM. The ODM backlash is led by Rift Valley MPs, while Central Kenya MPs are hesitant to support Kibaki’s call for implementation of the report,” the envoy said.

He however said that the two principals were determined to push for the report’s implementation, the opposition from the MPs notwithstanding.

“Kibaki and Odinga appear willing to push the issue forward despite the risk it poses to these allies; a Cabinet retreat is planned to try to find common ground on the report,” Mr Ranneberger observed.

“Even if Cabinet adopts the report, PNU will need time to get its MPs to support implementation, while ODM will need to restart discussions after a majority of its MPs rejected the report.”