AFRICAN LEADERS ON ICC WAR THEY WON’T WIN

From: Ouko joachim omolo
The News Dispatch with Omolo Beste
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2013

Julius from Juja, Kenya writes: “Fr Beste I have just watched Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Ambassador Amina Mohammed has denying claims that Kenya called for a mass pull out of African states from the Rome Statute, also refuting claims that Kenya called for the upcoming African Union Summit in Ethiopia to protect President Uhuru Kenyatta from attending the ICC cases at The Hague.

I also watched her saying that there is no sitting president at the ICC that is why as the government will try very hard to see that Uhuru follows his case here in Kenya through video, but this case began before Uhuru and Ruto were elected. Furthermore they have been told not to vie for presidency and deputy respectively until they know the fate of their case-what is your take on this”?

Julius I also watched as you did. I do agree with you that Uhuru and Ruto were been advised to wait until they know the fate of their ICC cases but refused. I remember Martha Karua Peter Kenneth among many charismatic leaders pleading with them not to vie. So the issue here is very clear that ICC will not buy resolution by the African presidents some of whom are also wanted at The Hague.

This comes a day after African Union Chief Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma asked U.N. Security Council envoys how they might react if asked to defer the international trials of Kenya’s leaders. African leaders are scheduled to meet in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa this weekend to discuss the fate of President Uhuru and his Deputy William Ruto.

Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed also wants the International Criminal Court (ICC) ought to dismiss the cases against Uhuru Kenyatta and William Ruto as the evidence against them is not credible.

Mohammed charged that ICC Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda was not adequately prepared to try the cases even after having ample time to plan saying: “She dragged my Deputy President to The Hague then informed him at the beginning of the trial that the witnesses had not arrived so they told him to go away and return when the witnesses arrive, this is very unfair.”

Speaking during an interview on the British Broadcasting Corporation’s HARDtalk show, Mohammed alleged that the names contained in the Waki list was not credible.

“The envelope handed over to Kofi Annan by the Waki Commission had many names of suspects but they picked and chose only a few out of the many names. They picked three from each side of the parties and if this is not politicizing then I don’t know what is,” said Mohamed.

She further added with the inception of the new Constitution and judicial reforms Kenya is capable of trying the perpetrators of the Post Election Violence, claims that most Kenyans have refuted.

She further accused the ICC of targeting Africa yet nations there have maintained good relationships and always cooperated with the court.

African presidents are also to debate a possible withdrawal from the International Criminal Court over claims it targets Africa, but that sentiment is being challenged by rights groups across the continent.

The 54-member African Union has accused The Hague based ICC of singling out Africans for prosecution and has specifically demanded that the court drop the proceedings against Kenya’s leadership.

As I always said on this blog, given that ICC was founded primarily to try genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity, is why African president think they targeted and blackmailed. They would rather want ICC cases brought back to their nations so that they continue with genocide and war crimes.

Sudanese president Omer Hassan al-Bashir who will also travel this Friday to Ethiopia and Saudi Arabia for the first time since the outbreak of some of the worst protests to engulf the country in recent years is among African leaders who want ICC cases brought back to Africa. He is wanted at The Hague to answer cases on genocide in Darfur.

Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni who is among the African leaders who want ICC cases brought back to Africa has not even accounted for £70m given to his country by Britain for various projects and how he acquired a private jet.

Rwandan President, Paul Kagame who is also pushing for ICC cases brought back to Africa has also not accounted for £75m of British aid meant for projects. It has been alleged that Kagame spent £60m on two private jets and loves pricey Rolex watches.

Robert Mugabe has imposed himself upon the people of Zimbabwe since 1980 when he became Zimbabwe’s prime minister following independence from Great Britain. The former Marxist guerrilla became president in 1987 and has held fast to that position despite a deep financial crisis pushing inflation above 200,000 percent.

Paul Biya has imposed himself upon the people of Cameroon since he assumed Cameroon’s presidency in November 1982. In his book, “Tyrants, the World’s 20 Worst Living Dictators,” David Wallechinsky noted that “Every few years, Biya stages an election to justify his continuing reign, but these elections have no credibility.

Fr Joachim Omolo Ouko, AJ
Tel +254 7350 14559/+254 722 623 578
E-mail omolo.ouko@gmail.com
Facebook-omolo beste
Twitter-@8000accomole

Real change must come from ordinary people who refuse to be taken hostage by the weapons of politicians in the face of inequality, racism and oppression, but march together towards a clear and unambiguous goal.

-Anne Montgomery, RSCJ
UN Disarmament
Conference, 2002

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