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The Kenyan TJRC

An Outsider's View from the Inside

Ronald C Slye author

Format:Hardback

Publisher:Cambridge University Press

Published:19th Jul '18

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The Kenyan TJRC cover

This insightful book explores the Kenyan Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission, detailing its internal debates and challenges while addressing historical injustices and offering valuable lessons for similar initiatives worldwide.

The Kenyan TJRC: An Outsider's View from the Inside offers a compelling exploration of the Kenyan Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission (TJRC), making it a valuable read for those interested in Kenya, Africa, and the complexities of international and transitional justice. The book delves into the internal dynamics and political challenges faced by the TJRC as it aimed to address the historical injustices and human rights violations that occurred in Kenya between 1963 and 2008. This period was marked by systematic atrocities, economic crimes, ethnic violence, and land seizures, prompting the establishment of the Commission to seek accountability and reconciliation.

Written from the perspective of an insider and academic expert, the book reveals previously undisclosed debates and decisions made within the Commission. Notably, it highlights the unprecedented recommendation for the prosecution of its Chair for gross human rights violations, showcasing the contentious nature of the Commission's work. This insider account is one of the few that critically examines both the limitations and potential of truth commissions in addressing past injustices.

Through its detailed analysis, The Kenyan TJRC provides important lessons and recommendations for those looking to understand or implement truth commission processes elsewhere. The narrative not only sheds light on the challenges faced by the TJRC but also emphasizes the significance of such commissions in confronting historical wrongs. For readers seeking a deeper understanding of the complexities involved in transitional justice, this book serves as an insightful resource.

'The Kenyan TJRC provides the fascinating, definitive history of the Kenyan Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission that Kenya's own government sought to suppress. Unlike any other text, Slye offers an equally unforgettable human story about how a courageous outsider fought to keep a process fair, so that even a deeply flawed human rights institution could make a difference.' Harold Hongju Koh, Yale Law School, Former Legal Adviser and Assistant Secretary for Human Rights, US Department of State
'Applying a Band-Aid to gaping national wounds has become a political habit in Kenya, but for true healing to take place, the country needs to go deeper. The story of how the TJRC was born, the hurdles it negotiated in order to do its work, the heart-breaking evidence it heard and its eventual findings must surely be part of that process. It's good to see this finally published.' Michela Wrong, author of It's Our Turn to Eat: The Story of a Kenyan Whistleblower
'Ronald C. Slye tells us the unvarnished truth about the complex and sometimes tortuous story of the Kenyan TJRC. Perhaps even more importantly he draws crucial lessons for negotiators and activists alike. A must read for all those working in the fields of transitional justice and peacebuilding!' David Tolbert, President of the International Center for Transitional Justice
'This fascinating book delves into the fissures that emerged among the commissioners, why the international members of the commission issued a dissent from some of the body's findings, and the broader implications of the commission's work for Kenya and other postconflict societies. Slye's book makes for compelling reading, whether he is discussing the personal foibles of the commissioners, the backroom negotiations and compromises that mark such work, the legal issues involved, or the broader context of Kenyan politics.' Nicolas van de Walle, Foreign Affairs

ISBN: 9781108422031

Dimensions: 235mm x 158mm x 21mm

Weight: 560g

308 pages