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Kofi Annan to Meet Kenyan Leaders Monday

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Kofi Annan to Meet Kenyan Leaders Monday
Kofi Annan to Meet Kenyan Leaders Monday

Former United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan is scheduled to hold discussions with Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga Monday.

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Annan is expected to review the progress made in the implementation of the agreement that ended Kenya's post-election violence.

He was instrumental in bringing about the agreement that led to the formation of Kenya's unity government.

But the government has so far failed to implement many of the reforms recommended in the report, prompting intense local and international criticism.

Koigi Wamwere, a a former Kenyan deputy information minister said that Kenyans are expressing confidence the former U.N Secretary General will put more pressure on the government to fully implement the much needed reforms.

"Most Kenyans feel that the subject of debate between Kofi Annan and the prime minister and the president will probably be the question of whatever progress we may have made in regards to ending impunity in this country and implementing reform in general," Wamwere said.

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He said the subject of the arrival in Kenya of the International Criminal Court's chief prosecutor could be considered during today's discussions.

"They would probably be talking about the expected arrival of Louis Moreno Ocampo into the country sometime in the course of this week," he said.

Wamwere said Kenyans want those behind the post-election violence to be punished.

"Kenyans think that the main subject for the meeting should be how we are going to handle the perpetrators of the post-election violence. Whether they are going to be taken to The Hague and when that would be because Kenyans would rather that they are taken to The Hague sooner rather than later," Wamwere said.

He said the unity government seems to be hindering the reforms.

"The fact is that the coalition government has also been a stumbling block to reforms in the sense that it is a government of anti-reformers if you ask me," he said.

Wamwere said it would be "impossible" for the government to implement the reforms stipulated in the agreement.

"When Kofi Annan asked anti-reformers to implement reforms then somehow I think he is making a big error," Wamwere said.

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He praised the former U.N secretary general for ensuring punishment for the organizers of the post-election violence.

"As for impunity, Kofi Annan has worked very hard to give the Kenyan government time to establish a local tribunal that could (put on trial) the perpetrators," he said.

Wamwere also said that Ocampo's arrival could further put pressure on the coalition government to address the issue of impunity.

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