By ANTHONY KARIUKI and PAMELA CHEPKEMEI
Posted Wednesday, October 19 2011 at 18:53
Posted Wednesday, October 19 2011 at 18:53
State House has said it does not wish to be drawn into a blame game over the post election violence.
In a statement, President
Kibaki rebuffed accusations made by Prime Minister Raila Odinga that he
should take responsibility for the killings committed by police officers
during the 2008 post-election violence.
Mr Odinga made the remarks
during cross examination in a case where he appeared as a witness for
former journalist Otieno Mak’ Onyango, who was detained by the Moi
regime.
"President Mwai Kibaki will not
be drawn into blame games at this time when Kenyans need to be focusing
on the many challenges facing our beloved nation, especially on a
matter that was settled by the National Accord and Reconciliation Act,"
said the statement from the Presidential Press Service Wednesday
evening.
"President Kibaki was not
responsible for any form of violence, at any time. Kenyans by now know
how the violence started and how it ended," it said.
Loss of lives
In court, Mr Odinga had said
the President should account for police killings at the height of the
chaos that left 1.133 people dead and 650,000 uprooted from their homes.
“My view is that the President should take responsibility for the loss of lives caused by police officers,” said Mr Odinga.
In a rejoinder, Mr Odinga's office said the PM's statement was taken out of context.
Mr Odinga said he did not
intend to assign blame for the violence and pointed out that it was the
decision of President Kibaki and himself to set aside their ambitions
that saved the country.
"While the PM would like to respect court processes
and rules, he is concerned that his answers to questions in court are
being taken out of the context in which they were given," said Mr
Odinga's spokesperson Dennis Onyango.
"I wish to clarify that it was not the intention of
the Prime Minister to assign blame for the election violence when he
appeared in court this morning and it has never been.
Nation ahead of personal ambitions
"The PM remains alert to the fact that while
responsibility for the violence remains the subject of an international
and local investigation, it is his and President Kibaki’s willingness to
put the nation ahead of personal ambitions that ended the chaos with
the signing of the Peace Accord and the agreement to share power," the
statement said.
"Prime Minister Odinga remains committed to
ensuring a united nation, driven by hope, not fear and a leadership
driven by honesty, not opportunism."
During the cross examination, the PM also said each top official
of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) should take individual
responsibility if there is proof of involvement in the violence.
Mr Odinga was being questioned by former President
Moi’s lawyer Kethi Kilonzo during the hearing of a case filed by Mr
Mak’ Onyango who was detained for four years on allegations by the
State that he was involved in the 1982 attempted coup.
Mr Odinga had been called to
testify in support of Mr Mak’Onyango’s case, but the cross examination
was dominated by discussions on the ODM’s role in post-election
violence.
In his statement, President Kibaki said he was focused on strengthening the economy and ensuring Kenya's border was safe.
"President Kibaki is focused on what must be done
to re-energise the economy and get more people into production.
President Kibaki would like to see the Kenyan nation stay united so that
together we can guarantee our external and internal security."
Healing the nation
The President added he was clear "on his mission of healing and reconciling the nation".
"As a nation, we need to focus on the many things
that unite us as Kenyans in order to overcome the few issues that divide
us," the statement said.
Mr Moi’s lawyer also questioned Mr Odinga on what he knew of the 1982 attempted coup.
The former Alego Usonga MP has sued retired President Moi and the Government seeking compensation for violation of his rights.
Mr Odinga is a witness in Mr
Mak’Onyango’s case as the two were arrested and detained on allegations
that they participated in planning the coup.
In court, Ms Kilonzo sought to
know from the prime minister whether Mr Kibaki should be held
responsible for the loss of lives and property during the election
violence.
He insisted that action had
been taken by the state against all members of ODM who committed
atrocities but the police officers who shot civilians as a result of the
shoot-to-kill order had not been brought to book.
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