Uhuru tells off DCI over plan to pursue 2007/8 PEV cases

By , K24 Digital
On Wed, 25 Nov, 2020 14:08 | < 1 min read
Uhuru and Raila
President Uhuru Kenyatta (left) and ODM leader Raila Odinga on Wednesday, November 25, 2020. PHOTO | GERALD ITHAE
President Uhuru Kenyatta (left) and ODM leader Raila Odinga on Wednesday, November 25, 2020. PHOTO | GERALD ITHAE

President Uhuru Kenyatta has faulted the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) over plans to pursue unresolved 2007/8 post-election violence cases.

Speaking on Wednesday, November 25, during the launch for the drive to collect 1 million signatures to push through the Building Bridges Initiative report, President Uhuru Kenyatta said he would not allow any bid to revive investigations into the 2007/8 PEV.

"I am not in agreement with those who are trying to resurrect the 2007/8 post-election violence cases. That was dealt with," said Kenyatta.

DCI Kinoti this week kicked up a political storm after announcing detectives are investigating 118 cases relating to the violence with a view to prosecuting those found culpable.

Some of the most notable public figures to react to Kinoti's statement was Deputy President William Ruto who took to Twitter to say that the DCI move amounts to incitement to ethnic hate.

"The provocative incitement to ethnic hate/division intended by the resurrection of PEV is an evil attempt to resuscitate the tribe project destroyed by the hustler movements' realisation that poverty and unemployment deliberately bred by poor leadership is our problem, not our our tribes," said Ruto on Tuesday.

Following the political furore the announcement caused, Kinoti issued a clarification revealing the investigations do not target old cases that have already been investigated and closed.

“My address yesterday [Monday] was, therefore, in no way intended to mean that we are going to open completed cases, which were investigated and closed. It was an acknowledgment of concerns raised by Kenyans, to assure the public of the commitment of the DCI to investigate all reported threats to security and to sensitise the public on the need for peaceful co-existence,” he said in a statement.