The tragic events that followed the disputed presidential elections of December 2007 in Kenya seriously tarnished the country’s reputation as a haven of peace and stability in Africa. They brought to the fore problems that had been eating away at the very fabric of society and breeding frustrations that erupted in January 2008 into scenes of unprecedented violence and destruction.
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Since then, the country’s leadership, in cooperation with the international community, has taken bold steps to address the fundamental issues with a view to preventing a recurrence of this tragedy and to promoting a process of reconciliation and national healing. There is no gainsaying that parliament, as the foremost representative institution, is challenged to play a pivotal role in this endeavour. Many of the measures envisaged to bring about lasting stability and harmony in Kenya require the Parliament’s active commitment.
In view of this preeminent role that is required of it, the Parliament, with the support of the IPU, recently organized a three-day seminar in Nairobi. The seminar, which took place from 17 to 19 November 2008, under an IPU project supported by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), brought together members of parliament; senior members of government, including the President, the Prime Minister, the Vice President; as well as other stakeholders and representatives of civil society. During the seminar, the participants engaged in a frank and honest assessment of the root causes of the January 2008 violence, which included shortcomings in the functioning of State institutions, a culture of impunity and historical injustices such as unfair access to national resources.
Participants proposed measures to address these injustices and reform State institutions with a view to promoting good governance and combating impunity. These measures are encapsulated in the action plan proposed at the end of the seminar that will see the Parliament actively engaged in providing the necessary legislative impetus for moving the reconciliation agenda forward. The action plan calls for the Parliament to enact legislation that puts in place an institutional infrastructure and leads to a new constitution that serve the interests of Kenyans in a fair and equitable manner. Parliament is also being called upon to ensure more effective oversight of State institutions in order to combat corruption and impunity.
The establishment of a high-level committee involving senior parliamentary and government leaders to oversee the implementation of the action plan, in cooperation with the IPU, is evidence of the ongoing commitment of the Kenyan authorities to the reconciliation agenda.
