No justice for victims of election violence, say Catholic bishops after collapse of trial

Catholic bishops in Kenya have responded with disappointment to the collapse of the International Criminal Court (ICC) court case against Kenya’s deputy president William Ruto (pictured).

Bishop Philip Anyolo, the chairman of the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB) told a news conference in Nairobi last week that “many displaced people have not got justice” and that the trauma ignited by the 2007-2008 post-election violence that led to an estimated 1,300 deaths has not healed.

Mr Ruto’s case has been dismissed but it “does not resolve pain and the causes of the violence”, they said.

The bishops’ comments follow the 5 April ICC ruling in which judges at The Hague-based court drew a line under the case of Ruto and former radio journalist, Joshua arap Sang, saying the prosecutor had failed to provide sufficient evidence to convict the two.

Ruto was accused of orchestrating a brutal campaign of violence in late 2007 that left hundreds dead and more than 600,000 displaced, according to statistics by the National Council of Churches (NCCK).

The violence ignited on 27 December 2007 after opposition leader, Raila Odinga, said election results that declared former President Mwai Kibaki the winner were rigged.

The violence – murder, rape and mass destruction of property, including the burning of churches – ended on 28 February 2008 with the signing of the power sharing agreement between Kibaki and Odinga.

With the international cases now closed, the Kenyan Bishops said the urgent matter for the national and county governments is to offer solutions for the victims: compensation, reconciliation and integration for those displaced.

“It must never be forgotten that many people lost their lives, thousands were displaced and have never gone back to normal life,” said Bishop Anyolo.

According to the bishops, Kenya has the opportunity, in this year of mercy, to initiate a new beginning and this must be the concern and focus for the Catholic Church.

Deputy president Mr Ruto said he had forgiven individuals and organisations that he alleged bribed and coached witnesses to manufacture a false narrative that he was a key perpetrator of the deadly violence.

“I hope God will help them come to terms with these acts and repent,” said Mr Ruto in an emotional news briefing at his residence today.

The Catholic bishops stressed that it was not an outcome of winners and losers, but an opportunity for the country to commit to never going back to that “dark” path of violence.