A committee appointed by Kenya's mediation team to probe the horrendous post-election violence that claimed lives of more than 1,000 people and displaced another 350,000 has begun its work.
The committee headed by Kenya's Court of Appeal Judge Justice Philip Waki and also made up of two foreign nationals promised to get to the bottom of the chaos that saw the destruction of property and loss of lives.
Justice Waki told a news conference in Nairobi on Monday the five-member committee is on its second phase where it has identified the public institutions that will participate in the public hearings scheduled to begin early July in different parts of the country.
Justice Waki said the commission will make recommendations to prevent violence in future, reconcile, promote peace and ensure those involved in causing violence are brought to justice.
He said they will recommend legal, political and administrative measures.
He said, during the investigations the five-member committee will question security organs such as the internal security ministry, the National Security Intelligence Service including the police force.
The commission which was set up on May 23 this year is also mandated to comprehensively investigate incidents of sexual violence, which Justice Waki said have been overlooked during the crisis.
"Sexual violence is the silent crime in situations of conflicts, it is often under-reported and under-investigated, this commission would like to provide an appropriate response to the problems of sexual violence," the judge told journalists in Nairobi.
Waki said they could not make a definitive suggestion until they collect evidence which will have to be evaluated. The commission was sworn in on June 3 this year, and is expected to complete its work on Aug. 22 this year.
The Commission of Inquiry into Post Election Violence (CIPEV) is the third after the Truth Justice and Reconciliation Committee (TJRC) and the Independent Review Committee (Kriegler Commission).
The three have a common agenda of investigating the post-election violence. However Waki clarified the extent of their mandate is the distinct factor.
"The role of CIPEV, is to investigate the facts and surrounding circumstances in relation to the post-election violence, this is an arrow mandate than the mandate which the proposed TJRC will have," he clarified.
Waki's team includes commissioners Gavin Alistair McFadden from New Zealand, Pascal Kalume Kambale, International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) Kenya Chapter Chief Executive George Kegoro, and Human Rights lawyer David Majanja.
Among the terms of reference for the commission is to "investigate the actions or omissions of state security agencies during the course of the violence."
The commission will seek to establish whether police were guilty in particular instances where there have been complaints of excessive and unnecessary use of force.
Justice Waki called on Kenyans to present evidence to the commission instead of merely debating the amnesty question.
"We will look into cases which are already before the police and we will decide on what we will do with them," he said.
Calm has returned to Kenya after Kenyan leaders -- President Mwai Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga have formed a coalition government under a deal brokered by former UN chief Kofi Annan in February.
Source:Xinhua
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