Republic of Kenya Report of the Task Force on the Establishment of a Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission Chairperson Prof. Makau Mutua Presented to Hon. Kiraitu Murungi The Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs August 26, 2003 PRINTED BY THE GOVERNMENT PRINTER, NAIROBI 1 Report of the Task Force on the Establishment of a Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission 2 Table of Contents Acknowledgements ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- iii Introduction-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- vii CHAPTER 1: OVERVIEW ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 Section 1. Executive Summary ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 Section 2. Terms of Reference-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3 Section 3. Process and Methodology----------------------------------------------------------------------- 4 Section 4. Recommendations --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7 CHAPTER 2. TRUTH COMMISSION AND TRANSITIONAL JUSTICE ------------------------------------ 9 Section 5. Why Kenya Needs a Truth Commission ---------------------------------------------------- 9 Political History and Governance in Kenya------------------------------------------------------------ 9 Human Rights Deficit --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------11 Kenya and Transitional Justice--------------------------------------------------------------------------12 CHAPTER 3: FINDINGS -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------17 Section 6. How and When to Establish the Truth Commission -----------------------------------17 How Should a Truth Commission be Established? ------------------------------------------------17 When Should a Truth Commission be Established? -----------------------------------------------18 The Duration of the Truth Commission----------------------------------------------------------------18 Section 7. The Membership of the Truth Commission-----------------------------------------------18 Section 8. The Terms of Reference for a Truth Commission --------------------------------------19 Political Assassinations and Killings -------------------------------------------------------------------20 Massacres and Possible Genocides -------------------------------------------------------------------21 Political Violence and Killings of Democracy Advocates------------------------------------------21 Torture, Detention, Exile, Disappearances, Rape, and Persecution of Opponents --------------------------------------------------------------------------------21 Politically Instigated Ethnic Clashes--------------------------------------------------------------------22 Violations of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights ------------------------------------------------22 Section 9. The Powers and Privileges of the Truth Commission---------------------------------24 The Powers of the Truth Commission -----------------------------------------------------------------24 The Independence of the Truth Commission --------------------------------------------------------24 3 The Powers to Investigate Past Violations and Offenders----------------------------------------25 The Power to Make Recommendations---------------------------------------------------------------25 The Power of Transparency------------------------------------------------------------------------------25 The Power to Recommend the Grant of Conditional Amnesty ----------------------------------25 The Power to Negotiate and to Receive Stolen Wealth, Property, or Funds-----------------26 The Power to Promote Reconciliation, National Healing and Unity ----------------------------26 The Privileges of the Truth Commission --------------------------------------------------------------26 Section 10. Historical Period to be Covered by the Truth Commission------------------------26 CHAPTER 4. RECOMMENDATION---------------------------------------------------------------------------------29 Section 11. The Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission ---------------------------------29 ANNEXTURES Section 12. Information Sources, Conferences and Endorsement Annex 1. Written Submissions, Group and Individual Consultations------------------------39 Annex 2. Provincial Public Hearings-----------------------------------------------------------------44 Annex 3. The Summary of the National Conference-------------------------------------------100 Annex 4. The Summary of the International Conference-------------------------------------106 Annex 5. Annotated Bibliography-------------------------------------------------------------------111 Annex 6. Comparative Analysis of Truth Commissions---------------------------------------124 Annex 7. Endorsement of the Report by the Task Force------------------------------------- 161 Annex 8. Terms of Reference ----------------------------------------------------------------- ------162 4 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The Task Force on the Establishment of a Truth, Justice, and Reconciliation Commission will be a significant body in the history of Kenya. Never before, in the forty year history of our country, has the government sought to genuinely establish the views of Kenyans with a view to confronting past human rights abuses and atrocities. The Task Force is a testament to the commitment of President Mwai Kibaki and the Government of the National Rainbow Coalition to reconstruct Kenya into a democratic, rule of law state. But the Task Force would not have been possible without the dedication and devotion of the Honorable Kiraitu Murungi, the Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs, to human rights, the rule of law, and a state free of impunity. Since Mr. Murungi appointed the Task Force on April 17, 2003, he has without equivocation fully supported its work. The Task Force owes its success to the unwavering support and guidance that Mr. Murungi has so generously given it. The Ministry for Justice and Constitutional Affairs, the home of the Task Force, has been invaluable in the work of the Task Force. Its logistical, secretarial, and material support have been the foundation on which the Task Force has stood. The facilitation of the work of the Task Force by the Honorable Robinson Githae, the Assistant Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs, and Mr. Jeremiah Matagaro, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, have been critical to the endeavors of the Task Force. Although new, the Ministry for Justice and Constitutional Affairs has worked under difficult challenges to meet the demands of the Task Force, even as it balanced other competing interests for resources and personnel. Two private, non-governmental institutions have been critical to the overall work and success of the Task Force. The First is the Ford Foundation regional office in Nairobi that at the inception of the Task Force generously supported it with a grant of $160,000. It is not possible to overestimate the enormous impact this grant had on the work of the Task Force. The grant became the major source of financial support for the work of the Task Force. Many of the activities of the Task Force, such as the provincial visits, the national and international conferences, research, and general office support would not have been possible without the grant. I wish to take this opportunity, on behalf of the Task Force, to sincerely thank Dr. Tade Aina, the Regional Representative, and Mr. Joseph Gitari, the Program Officer, respectively, of the Ford Foundation offices in Nairobi for their generous support. The second organization that has been invaluable to the Task Force is the Kenya Human Rights Commission, the leading human rights group in the country. The KHRC received the Ford Foundation grant, and has professionally managed it for the Task Force and the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs. The KHRC also seconded to the Task Force Ms. Jennifer Wanjiku Miano, a lawyer and its Senior Program Officer, as a lead researcher and the Ford Foundation grant administrator. Ms. Miano has performed superbly. The KHRC also seconded to the Task Force Mr. James Waititu of its Litigation Fund as a press aide. Mr. Waititu has managed the publicity campaigns and press relations of the Task Force extremely well. Ms. Beatrice Kuria, the KHRC’s Finance Manager, and Ms. Noelina Nabwire, its Program Officer, have rendered much needed service to the Task Force. Mr. Curtis Murungi, an intern at the KHRC from Harvard Law 5 School wrote a paper on the views of Kenyans on a truth commission for the Task Force. But the foresight and commitment of the KHRC to the Task Force and the transitional justice agenda lie with its Executive Director, the incomparable Dr. Willy Mutunga, whose dedication to human rights is legend in Kenya. Several other organizations and individuals have selflessly given of themselves to the work of the Task Force. Mr. Davinder Lamba, the Executive Director of the Mazingira Institute, has been key to the work and success of the Task Force. He has conceptualized, organized, and executed countless tasks for the Task Force, including labourious and sensitive work of editing and desktop publishing. He and Mazingira Institute have generously availed to the Task Force their resources