News story (By Dave Opiyo) - South African judge to lead polls inquiry arrives

Ref: http://www.nationmedia.com/dailynation/nmgcontententry.asp?category_id=2&newsid=119427

Story by DAVE OPIYO
Publication Date: 3/20/2008

The man expected to lead a public inquiry into last year’s General Election has arrived into the country.

Retired South African judge Johann Kriegler at the Serena Hotel in Nairobi shortly after he arrived in Kenya yesterday. Photo/ MICHAEL MUTE
The arrival of retired South African judge Johann Kriegler on Wednesday sets the stage for the audit of all aspects of the disputed poll.

Members of the Independent Review Commission are expected to be sworn in on Thursday by chief justice Evan Gicheru. Others members are Tanzania’s Lady Justice Imani Daud Aboud and Argentine Horacio Boneo, both of whom were expected last evening.

Also members

Prof Marangu M’Marete, Mr Francis Angila Away and Ms Catherine Muyeka Mumma are also members.

According to mediation talks co-chair Oluyemi Adeniji, the election scrutiny team is expected to conduct public hearings at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre. But the exact date was yet to be set.

The review commission was scheduled to start hearings on February 15, but delayed because not all members had arrived. “We’ll announce the date the public inquiry will begin,” said Mr Adeniji in an interview with the media.

The review team is expected to present its report to the Kofi Annan team within three to six months.

Mr Adeniji, who returned on Sunday from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, said the mediation talks would resume on Thursday after a two-day break.

He had gone to Ethiopia to brief the African Union on the talks. The AU initiated, and is sponsoring the National Dialogue and Reconciliation. Many issues were yet to be discussed by the negotiators.

According to Mr Adeniji, the panel of negotiators is yet to discuss land matters, unemployment and a new constitution.

But the negotiators had agreed on the membership of the Truth Justice and Reconciliation Commission and the mini-commission to investigate the post election violence.

Both commissions, he said, would comprise local and international experts. He did not reveal the names of those to sit on the Truth Commission.

However, he disclosed that the team to investigate the violence would be made up of international experts, with only one being a Kenyan. “We’re still awaiting the constitution of the grand coalition government before we move forward,” said Mr Adeniji.

At least 1,000 people were killed and 350,000 others displaced in the violence that broke out immediately the disputed presidential tally was announced. It declared President Kibaki winner.

Resume today

And with the possibility of the three commissions working simultaneously, Mr Adeniji hinted at the likelihood of the other commissions working outside Nairobi.

“The city will be congested with inquiries. We’re looking into the possibility of allowing some commissions to operate outside Nairobi,” he said.

And with the mediation talks set to resume, Mr Adeniji disputed claims that there was a slowing down in the momentum of talks following the signing of the agreement by President Kibaki and Prime Minister-designate Raila Odinga.

MPs on Tuesday amended the Constitution to create the post of Prime Minister and two deputies.