Uhuru faults Kinoti on revival of post-election violence cases

President Uhuru Kenyatta has criticised the Director of Criminal Investigations (DCI) George Kinoti over a move to revive criminal cases related to the 2007/08 post-election violence.

The President warned that the move was a recipe for ethnic conflicts.

The President said the decision to reopen the cases was taken without proper thinking on the reality, and declared that he cannot support such a move.

“Those trying to open up the graves must know that what they are doing is not a joke,” the President said Wednesday during the launch of the collection of signatures for the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) referendum.

“Tumetoka huko and hiyo kitu tumezika kwa kaburi ya sahau (the matter is buried and forgotten and it will better remain as such),” the President said.

Mr Kinoti on Monday announced that his office had reopened investigations into the country’s 2007-08 post-election violence (PEV) that left more than 1,100 people killed following complaints by communities that are facing fresh intimidation.

Those who have filed complaints, he said, have expressed fear for their lives.

“We will not let it happen again. We have received numerous complaints and we are acting on them,” Mr Kinoti said.

But the President has other ideas.

“You don’t know what kind of a problem you are starting. You have to think before you talk. You have to think before you act. We don’t want war,” the President said.

“Some of us know the benefits of peace and the only way available is to resolve the existing issues through constitutional and legal means.”

The President noted that it was the wish of many that the issue of compensation for the 2007/08 victims is captured in the BBI but said it was only proper for the country to move on and let bygones be bygones.

“Let’s be truthful to peace, stability and unity of this nation,” he advised.