Legal Affairs team resolves to amend ICC motion

NAIROBI – The Justice and Legal Affairs Committee has resolved to amend the motion on Kenya’s withdrawal from the Rome Statute when debate begins in the National Assembly Thursday. Speaking after a closed-door meeting of the team, committee vice chairperson Priscilla Nyokabi told reporters the members had expressed some views on the matter.

“We have some views as a Legal Affairs Committee on this matter, key among them, I think, is the timing. We are worried about the timing of the motion but we have proposals around amending the motion on the floor,” she said.

She said the team was also worried about the fate of victims of the post-election violence for which President Kenyatta, Deputy President William Ruto and former radio presenter Joshua arap Sang were indicted.

“We also have proposals about victims and a mechanism for a reparations programme and that’s what we want to do on the floor in the afternoon,” she said.

MPs hurried out of the morning meeting to attend parallel Parliamentary Group meetings by the Jubilee and the Cord coalitions called to strategise ahead of the special sitting starting 2.30 p.m.

Most of those at the meeting at Continental House were from the Jubilee Coalition.

Ms Nyokabi said the full statement of the Legal Affairs Committee’s views will be made during the time slot it will be allocated when debate on the motion begins on the floor.

Some MPs are reported to have been concerned with the manner in which Aden Duale exercised his powers under the Standing Orders to have Deputy Speaker Joyce Laboso convene the special sitting.

They are concerned that since the motion wouldn’t affect the ongoing cases against President Kenyatta, Mr Ruto and Mr arap Sang, passing it is an exercise in futility that would paint Kenya in bad light and entrench impunity.

Meanwhile, Deputy President Ruto will fly out to The Hague on Monday for the beginning of his trial over charges of crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court.

Wednesday, he was locked up at his official residence in Karen, Nairobi where he was making final preparations for the unprecedented trial of a sitting president and his deputy by the world court for crimes against humanity.

Sources close to Mr Ruto said he plans to fly to The Hague on Monday alongside a number of MPs who thronged the Netherlands embassy office along Riverside Road in Kileleshwa Wednesday seeking visas for the trip.

This came as another prosecution witness lined up to testify against Deputy President William Ruto withdrew from the case yesterday as he prepared to.

The witness was due to be presented by chief prosector Fatou Bensouda but he cited frustrations and manipulation of his statement by International Criminal Court officials.

In a statement seen by the Nation, Witness OTPC2 who was allotted No VWUK16 spoke of “psychological trauma, physical abuse and separation from his family” when he was flown to the Netherlands.

He alleges that two ICC officials manipulated his statement and compelled him to sign. Three witnesses who have so far withdrawn from the case and recanted their statements against Mr Ruto and broadcaster Joshua Sang.

However, the Nation was unable to independently confirm the authenticity of the alleged witness. But ICC Registrar Herman Von Hebel dismissed claims of manipulation of witnesses to testify.

In a TV programme ‘ICC in Focus’, Mr Hebel was categorical that the ICC does not pay witnesses to testify. – Daily Nation. – Daily Nation.