Kenya: Catholic Church Wants Key Leaders Tried at the Hague, Says Bishop

Nairobi, Kenya - The International community has been asked to ensure that key leaders implicated in the post-election violence are prosecuted to end impunity in Kenya.

Eldoret Catholic Bishop Cornelius Korir led priests in demanding that the era of impunity in Kenya must come to the end and those responsible for last year's post-election violence to be prosecuted.

Bishop Korir said "the Catholic Church wants key leaders implicated in the Waki list and KNCHR lists be tried in Hague and not locally.

Bishop Korir and Mosop MP David Koech said Kenyans had little faith in the local Judiciary and best way to end impunity was to punish all suspects who organised the killings of more than 1300 innocent Kenyans and destroyed property.

The two leaders spoke separately in Nandi North and Nandi Central Districts.

Mr Koech said it was in the interest of Kenyans for the suspected leaders to be prosecuted at The Hague regardless of their position in the country, if proven they financed and sponsored post-election violence.

He added that parliament had voted for the Hague and that leaders who took part in planning violence against fellow Kenyans should be ready to stand trial.

Bishop Korir, who addressed a larger crowd of Catholic faithful during the ordination of Father Luke Kipkoech Bett at St Peters Catholic Church in Kapsabet, said the church wants all those involved arrested and prosecuted if proven guilty.

The Bishop also said facts must be produced to prove the suspected leaders were involved in planning violence and Kenyan leadership should not protect them