By Dickens Wasonga

The Dutch ambassador to Kenya Laetitia Van Den Assum wants the government to set up a fully fledged witness protection act to ensure security of the ICC witnesses.

She said with the continued threats on the witnesses, justice may not be achieved by the victims of the 2007/2008 post election violence.

The ambassador briefing the media.

She lamented that without the body, some witnesses may not be ready to provide vital information that may aid the ICC chief prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo in his investigations.

The ambassador pointed out that her government will not relent in pushing the Kenyan administration to set up the body since it is committed to ensuring that the perpetrators of the post election violence are brought to book.

She said her office together with the human rights organizations will push the government to initiate the body so as to restore confidence amongst the ICC witnesses.

“My office jointly with the human rights bodies in this country will continue pressing on the government to set up a witness protection act to ensure witnesses safety,” she said.

The ambassador who was addressing over 200 victims of the post election violence from Western and Nyanza provinces in Kisumu said Kenya can only move forward if justice is attained thus need to protect witnesses.

She assured the victims of the violence that it is only a matter of time and they realize justice.

“A country that wants to move forward must take care of its victims,” she said adding that it is important for Kenya to address past injustices so as to restore sanity in the country.

She also denied allegations that her government was denying a group of lawyers visas to travel to The Hague.

She said Netherlands government will allow any Kenyan willing to fly to The Hague without discrimination.

“We shall give an equal opportunity to anybody willing to travel to The Hague whether from the prosecution side or the defendant side to give their side of the story,” she said.

During the visit, the ambassador was flanked by Nyanza/Western civil society organization network coordinator Betty Okero and the coordinator for citizens against violence Sana Olang’.

The duo called on the government to set up a local tribunal to address the plight of the post election violence victims who suffered as a result of police brutality.

They said most victims of the post poll violence in the region suffered as a result of police shootings thus need to address their predicament.

Some of the victims of post election violence who met the ambassador in Kisumu on Wednesday.

Olang’ cited that if the system is not set up, then they will file a suit against the state in court early next Month.

He pointed out that police are government agents adding that the government must explain their involvement in the post election violence.

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