Six years back after elections Kenya was on fire because of a supposed flawed election, that is when the name ICC Trial. Many people lost their lives as people turned against each other because their chosen leaders had not won. This is what led to the ICC trials where two key leaders in Kenya have cases to answer to.
I must say that before that not as many Kenyans really knew about the International Criminal Court. In fact, the key name there was “Ocampo Six” and not even ICC. When things came out of hand the international court had to come in, six people were implicated and the list of the ICC trial has been toned to three people.
President Uhuru, Deputy President Ruto and radio personality Joshua Sang.
Recently on the 14th of May, Honorable Ruto went to The Hague to clarify that he will be present for his hearings. He even went ahead to say that he was just a victim of some lies… but time will tell if that’s the truth.
So yesterday, Sunday 26th may, the African leaders who are in Addis Ababa for the African Union summit were so loud in supporting the issue of one President Uhuru Mwigai and his Deputy Ruto not facing the ICC trial but rather their charges to be dropped.
President Yoweri Museveni who has been on the forefront telling our own president not to appear there is the one who puts the motion to table. 53 presidents are said to be in support of this petition.
However, there is an international NGO for human right, which thinks that our African leaders should actually rethink about their view and let Kenya have some justice.
No Formality if ICC Trial is held in Kenya
Ms Sophia Akuffo, president of the African court of Human and Peoples’ rights said that the international court jurisdiction is in the process of expanding to include some types of international crimes.
Her view on the dropping of the cases against Uhuru and Ruto was that even if Kenya was to handle the case itself, it did not have the right instruments for the whole process.
“Kenya has not applied for the transfer and even if it does, there are absolutely no procedures in place on how to make that possible currently,” she said.
African leaders were urged by Amnesty International to drop the idea of Kenyans holding their own trial because Kenya was not ready for such a big trial as the ICC trial.
“The African Union must reject Kenya’s attempts to shield its leaders from being held to account for the human rights violations that took place in Kenya in 2007-2008,” said Netsanet Belay, Amnesty International’s Africa Program Director, in a press statement.
Source: http://www.nation.co.ke/News/politics/AU-backs-ICC-resolution/-/1064/1863768/-/item/0/-/kknebo/-/index.html
On Friday night President Museveni told the African leaders in the igad meeting that he was not sure if the International Criminal Court was actually sincere with the Kenyan Case.
Really, should Kenyans let other leaders determine their fate or are we the ones who should decide what should be done to these people. At the end of the day each leader has his or her own country to look after.
African foreign ministers who met earlier saw the issue as important and agreed that it will be important to “terminate the case at the level of the ICC and to rely on the national judiciary that is being reformed,” Lamamra said on May 25.
Our Concern about the ICC Trial
Many people are still in displacement camps hoping for the best while the two key leaders are living their lives. What will be the way forward after the verdict is made? Actually what are they doing to help those who were affected if indeed they are “clean?”
As we wait for the ICC trial to take effect on the stipulated dates, Kenyans can only hope and see what our leaders will decide on. May their decision affect us positively
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The post The ICC Trial: Dreaded Arm of Justice appeared first on Msema Kweli.