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lawyers' body defends Ogiek
by
John Kamau, Rights Features Service
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(December 18, 2001)
The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) has accused a senior government
official of "waging a smear campaign" against lawyers who represent
the Ogiek community.
In a terse statement
published today, LSK vice chairman Mirugi Kariuki accused Rift
Valley Provincial Commissioner (PC) Peter Raburu of bitterness
after the Ogiek refused to withdraw a court case which restrains
the government from demarcating land in Mau Forest.
In the statement LSK
also demanded that Raburu apologize to all Nakuru district judges
"for insinuating that they issue orders brought by lawyers without
considering facts on the ground."
Kariuki, who represents
the Nakuru Catholic Diocese as an interested party in the Ogiek
cases, expressed fears that senior government officials might
have been allocated huge chunks of land meant for the Ogiek.
While addressing an
Independence Day rally on December 12, the government administrator
in the expansive region accused Ogiek lawyers of frustrating government
efforts.
"These utterances bordered
on contempt of court as various orders relating to the matters
he raised were issued courts and not advocates," said Kariuki.
He asked the senior
government administrator to "seek for a review of the orders instead
of making accusations against lawyers and courts in public gatherings."
The PC, the lawyer
said, ought to have known the issues he was discussing in public
meetings were pending in the court of appeal.
"Court decisions must
be respected. The PC should know that the judiciary is independent
of the provincial administration," said Kariuki.
Raburu had previously
pledged to liaise with the judges to ensure that all injunctions
given in favor of the Ogiek community were lifted.
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