Two reports examining the violence that ravaged Kenya early this year after a disputed election have challenged the leaders on both sides of the political divide to clean up their act and even to let some of their biggest figures go before a tribunal for their alleged part in fomenting the strife. If the recommendations are put into practice, the culture of impunity that has protected Kenya's leaders for many years may be weakened. But there are also fears that delving into past violence may reopen barely healed wounds and undermine the fragile government of national unity that has run the country since April.rnThe first report, chaired by a South African judge, Johann Kriegler, focuses on the actual election-and lambasts the electoral commission for massive bungling. It makes clear that there were numerous instances of vote-rigging but does not pronounce on who should have been declared the winner. Most independent observers reckon that the opposition, led by Raila Odinga, who is now the prime minister, was cheated of victory-perhaps a narrow one-by a cabal surrounding President Mwai Kibaki, which bullied the commission into accepting a falsified result.
展开▼
