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Tag: Uhuru Kenyatta

  • AU urges united stand on ICC

    AU urges united stand on ICC

    The African Union urged its members to “speak with one voice” to prevent criminal proceedings at the International Criminal Court against sitting presidents, according to a statement Saturday.

    The 54-nation organisation said it was disappointed that a request to the U.N. Security Council to defer the trials of Kenya’s leaders “has not yielded the positive result expected.” The African Union also has sought the deferral of criminal proceedings against Sudan’s President Omar al-Bashir, who has been charged with genocide in Darfur.

    Only Botswana has opposed the stand taken by the African Union, made in a statement received Saturday after a summit in Ethiopia attended by 34 leaders.

    “African states parties should comply with African Union decisions on the ICC and continue to speak with one voice,” the statement said, adding “There is an imperative need for all member states to ensure that they adhere to and articulate commonly agreed positions …”

    Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto face charges of crimes against humanity at the international court at The Hague for allegedly orchestrating post-election violence that killed more than 1,000 people following a disputed presidential election in late 2007. Both men deny the charges.

    The International Criminal Court has recently come under strong criticism from African leaders who accuse it of racism in indicting only Africans. Countries such as Uganda have suggested they may decide to sever ties with the court in solidarity with Kenya. Some Africans also argue that the Kenyan leaders need to concentrate on governing their countries to ensure stability as the region faces unprecedented terrorist challenges.

     

    Ruto’s trial continues at The Hague but the case against Kenyatta may collapse. Kenyatta’s trial was to start in November but was postponed to February after the prosecution and defense teams said they needed more time to prepare. The prosecutor in December asked for an additional three-month adjournment after one witness withdrew and another said they gave false evidence.

     

    A Kenyan court on Friday refused to stop the arrest of a journalist wanted by the international court for allegedly interfering with prosecution witnesses in the case against Ruto.

     

  • AU stops Kenyan president from attending trial

    AU stops Kenyan president from attending trial

    African leaders agreed on Saturday that Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta should not attend trial at the International Criminal Court if the United Nations Security Council did not agree to delay the proceedings, Ethiopia’s foreign minister said.

    Tedros Adhanom said the African Union would request the trial be deferred under article 16 of the court’s Rome Statute that allows a delay of a year subject to renewal and would request a postponement if that demand was not agreed.

    “If that is not met what the summit decided is that President Kenyatta should not appear until the request we have made is actually answered,” Reuters quoted Tedros as saying to journalists on Saturday.

     

  • ICC wants quick resumption of Kenyan leader’s trial

    ICC wants quick resumption of Kenyan leader’s trial

    Judges at the International Criminal Court on Friday rejected a bid by Kenyan deputy president, William Ruto, to have his trial adjourned until mid-October to allow him to deal with the aftermath of the attack on a Nairobi shopping mall.

    The judges said the trial for crimes against humanity must resume on Wednesday, allowing Ruto to attend a memorial service the day before for the 72 people who died in the four-day assault, claimed by Somali Islamist militant group al Shabaab.

    “The service is an important event in Kenya’s national healing,” said Judge Chile Eboe-Osuji, presiding.

    Reuters reports that hearings have been suspended since Ruto asked last Sunday for an adjournment to allow him to return home at the height of the hostage drama at the Westgate mall.

    At the hearing on Friday, his lawyers said he would need to stay longer to deal with a series of high-level meetings relating to the attack.

    Ruto and his boss, President Uhuru Kenyatta, face charges of crimes against humanity related to the violence that followed Kenya’s 2007 elections, in which 1,200 people died. Both have voluntarily complied with all the court’s summonses.

    But since they were elected to their posts earlier this year, both men have asked judges for more leeway in attending court hearings, saying their presence is needed in Kenya.

    If one is in court, the other must be at home, they say, meaning they cannot represent the country properly at international summits.

    The court has not yet given a final ruling on whether the two men can be excused from most hearings.

     

  • African leaders to hold summit on Kenya’s ICC cases

    African leaders to hold summit on Kenya’s ICC cases

    African leaders will meet in the Ethiopian capital on October 13 to take a position on whether to join Kenya’s planned pull-out from the International Criminal Court (ICC) over the prosecution of its leaders, officials said on Thursday.

    Reuters says so far there seems not to be much support for it.

    However, Heads of State from the 54-member Africa Union may still discuss the possibility of a pullout by the 34 African signatories to the Rome Statute that created the tribunal.

    Last week’s start of the trial of the Kenyan Deputy President, William Ruto, for crimes against humanity, with President Uhuru Kenyatta’s trial due in November, has fuelled a growing backlash against the Hague-based court from some African governments, which sees it as a tool of Western powers.

    “The Kenyans have been criss-crossing Africa in search of support for their cause, even before their parliament voted to withdraw from the ICC,” an AU official said.

    “An extraordinary summit will now take place to discuss the issue. A complete walk-out of signatories to the Rome Statute is certainly a possibility, but other requests maybe made.”

    The summit would be preceded by a meeting of African foreign ministers a day earlier, he said.

    The Kenya’s Spokesman for the Presidency, Mr. Manoah Esipisu, said the country had not canvassed for the summit, but “welcomed the opportunity by African leaders to discuss what is obviously an important matter for the continent.”

    ICC prosecutors had accused Kenyatta and Ruto, alongside radio journalist, Joshua Arap Sang, of fomenting ethnic violence that killed about 1,200 people after a disputed election in December 2007.

    The three suspects denied the charges.

     

     

  • Jonathan seeks united, borderless Africa

    Jonathan seeks united, borderless Africa

    President Goodluck Jonathan on Friday called on African leaders to avoid policies that could stand in the way of intra-African trade and unity of the continent.

    He made the call during a joint press briefing with his Kenyan counterpart, Uhuru Kenyatta at the Kenyan Government House in Nairobi.

    Jonathan, who is on a three-day state visit to Kenya, made the remark after a bilateral meeting and the signing of various agreements and Memorandum of Understanding between Kenya and Nigeria.

    Reiterating the need for African countries to work together to move the continent forward, he said that Africa countries must go beyond primary production and servicing industries abroad with their raw materials from forest produce or solid minerals.

    He said: “We must work hand in hand to add values to what we produce and encourage intra-African trade.

    “If you go to Europe, trade within the European Union nations is about 70 per cent, thereby, telling the rest of the world that they can survive without going outside the EU.

    “In Asia trade between the Asian countries is about 50 per cent also telling the world that they can stay alone.

    “But in Africa, trade between us has drop to as low as 11 per cent, that is a way of telling the world that we cannot stand alone except the rest of the globe come to assist us in one way or the other,” he stated

    The President pointed out that trade and free movement of goods and services within the continent is been inhibited by administrative constraints in term of visa restriction, consular and immigration issues among other factors.

    To turn around the trend, he charged regional blocs like the East African Economic Community, SADEC and ECOWAS to come up with good policies that will encourage trade and free movement of goods and services in the continent.

    “We are looking forward to the day that the whole of Africa will be an economic bloc, where we can move just like the EU arrangements.

    “That is the only way we can create wealth for our people and we will no longer be talking of poverty alleviation and so on,” he added.

     

  • Harassment of Nigerians in Kenya to end soon – Jonathan

    Harassment of Nigerians in Kenya to end soon – Jonathan

    President Goodluck Jonathan has assured the Nigerian community in Kenya that he would end the challenges of intimidation, harassment,discrimination and extortion of the country citizens by the Kenyan security operatives.

    Jonathan gave the assurance on Thursday night in Nairobi, the Kenyan capital, during an interactive session with Nigerians living in that country.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the meeting was part of the events lined up for the three-day state visit of the President to Kenya on the invitation of Kenyan President, Uhuru Kenyatta.

    The President made the remark as part of his response to several complaints from representatives of the Nigerian community.

    NAN reports that complaints by the community revolved around illegal deportation and maltreatment of Nigerians by Kenyan authority.

    Jonathan said that his government was aware of the development and that it was one of the major issues to be addressed during talks with his Kenyan counterpart.

    “We are aware that there were issues and that is why we are here to see how we can work with the government of Kenya to resolve the issues raised.”

    “The Minister of Interior, Mr. Aba, Moro, is here because we want to sign a Bilateral Agreement and Memorandum of Understanding on this and other issues between Kenya and Nigeria during talks which the two Presidents will preside over.

    “We have a number of issues and many complaints have come to us.

    “I remember when my wife was to come here for a programme, there were issues.

    “Some Nigerians were just sent back home without passing through the normal procedure which almost created a diplomatic row between Nigeria and Kenya.

    “But I said that Nigeria will not have to engage in unnecessary diplomatic row with any African country but would rather look at positive ways of managing the situation because we have Nigerians everywhere.

    “It is better we manage the development to the benefit of the two countries than going into unnecessary diplomatic issues.

    “Of course, the President is my good friend and I believe myself and the President of Kenya will be able to solve all the problems,’’ he said.

     

  • Kenyatta sworn in as Kenyan president

    Kenyatta sworn in as Kenyan president

    Uhuru Kenyatta was sworn in on Tuesday as the new president of Kenya in front of tens of thousands of people, including foreign heads of state, at a sports complex in Nairobi.

    The large crowd erupted in cheers and waved Kenyan flags as Kenyatta, 51, and his deputy William Ruto, 46, took their oaths of office and were handed the ceremonial instruments of power.

    Chief Justice Willy Mutunga signed both of them into office, officially confirming the relatively young duo, wanted for trial at the International Criminal Court, as the new leaders of East Africa’s most important economy.

    “We are open for business and we invite you to invest in our country,’’ Kenyatta said in an inauguration speech, pledging to diversify the economy.

    The new president said he would work to ensure free access to healthcare within his first 100 days in office and would also launch a plan to give each primary school pupil a laptop computer.

    Kenya is striving to become a key technology hub in Africa and has been investing in infrastructure like faster internet cables.

    Ruto said he believes Kenya could be posting “double digit’’ growth figures within five years.

    Mwai Kibaki, 81, stepped down as president after reaching the two-term limit.

    African leaders, including President Goodluck Jonathan,  South African President Jacob Zuma and his Ugandan counterpart Yoweri Museveni, were among those in attendance, along with representatives of Gulf Arab states and China.

    Museveni, the only foreign dignitary to speak at the event, criticised the ICC. He saluted Kenyans for their “rejection of the blackmail by the International Criminal Court and those who seek to abuse this institution for their own agenda.’’

    Unnamed foreign powers “are now using it to install leaders of their choice in Africa and eliminate the ones they do not like,’’ said Museveni, who has led Uganda since 1986.

     

     

     

  • Jonathan to attend Kenyatta’s inauguration

    President Goodluck Jonathan will leave Abuja Monday night  for Nairobi, Kenya where he is scheduled to join other African leaders at Tuesday’s inauguration of Mr. Uhuru Kenyatta as Kenya’s fourth President.

    He will be accompanied to Mr. Kenyatta’s swearing-in ceremony at the Kasarani Sports Complex in Nairobi by the Acting Governor of Taraba State, Alhaji Garba Umar, Senator Emmanuel Paulker and the Minister of State (Foreign Affairs), Dr. Nurudeen Mohammed.

    The President will return to Abuja Tuesday  and will preside over the weekly meeting of the Federal Executive Council as usual on Wednesday.

  • Kenya: Saved from the cliff

    Kenya: Saved from the cliff

    It is enough that the people know there was an election. The people who cast the votes decide nothing. The people who count the votes decide everything – Joseph Stalin   

    In a few days, Uhuru Kenyatta is to be sworn in as President of Kenya. He is coming to power exactly thirty five years after the death of his father Mzee Jomo Kenyatta, the founding father of the country. He was in his teens when his father who led the country to independence died in 1978. His rise to power has struck a first in the continent; he becomes the first sibling of a former president who comes to power through a free and fair election.

    Although his victory was contested by his rival, Raila Odinga, the victory has been affirmed by the country’s highest court as “free and fair” thus aligning with the verdict of the international observers who had earlier given the same verdict.

    Kenyatta’s victory over his challenger, Odinga brings to mind the bitter rivalry which hallmarked the rule of his father and his arch-rival and the father of Raila. Oginga Odinga was like a thorn in the flesh of the older Kenyatta. Students of history would remember that the duo were the arrow heads of the fight for the country’s independence in the same way that the late Joshua Nkomo and President Robert Mugabe were for Zimbabwe.

    However, a combination of ethnic majority and intrigues led to bitter rivalries as it is wont in Africa. The older Kenyatta who came from the majority ethnic group of Gikuyu was able to subdue any threat from the older Odinga who was a Luo. It is perhaps the same ethnic rivalry that led to the present scenario.

    Before the March elections, tension had risen around the world and many had feared that the unfortunate 2007 violence that trailed the election was going to replay itself. In fact, the fear was so palpable that many had already fled the country, in search of safe havens. The 2007 after election violence caught the international community unawares because the East African country, despite its hiccup democratic credentials had been an oasis of peace on the continent. The 2007 violence shattered all that reputation.

    It was therefore not surprising that the international community’s attention was focussed on the country so much that months leading to the election many had appealed for calm and called for a free and fair election. And as if the country was aware of the importance of the election and the need to redeem its image, it made sure the election was conducted as freely as practicable. This was demonstrated so much that even when some unexpected glitches came up the electoral body quickly made up and conducted the election fairly well.

    However, as Kenyatta assumes office, he becomes the second African head of state to be indicted by the International Court of Justice (ICJ). He is joining this unenviable class with President Omar El-Bashir of Sudan who has been indicted for war crimes. Kenyatta’s indictment is in connection with the 2007 election violence. He is in this boat with his Vice President-elect William Ruto.

    How this would affect his reign and his relations with other heads of governments around the world is of interest to this writer. Would he be able to visit some countries that are signatories to the ICC treaty or would he be an isolated president as El-Bashir is gradually becoming?

    Whatever happens Kenya must be saluted for their determination to rescue their country from a cliff-hanger situation. They have been able to tell the world that elections may be factitious and laden with acrimony, but that they are capable of making up with themselves. This is a lesson for the rest of Africa.

    Africa is rising.

     

  • Kenya’s Supreme Court upholds Kenyatta’s poll victory

    Kenya’s Supreme Court upholds Kenyatta’s poll victory

    … Odinga accepts verdict
    Kenya’s Supreme Court ruled on Saturday Uhuru Kenyatta was elected president fairly, unanimously rejecting a challenge from defeated candidate Raila Odinga that the vote was marred by rigging and technical problems.

    Reuters reports that the decision cleared the way for Kenya’s richest man to take the top job in east Africa’s biggest economy, but left foreign powers with the headache of dealing with a leader charged with crimes against humanity at The Hague.

    Kenya’s outgoing president had called for calm ahead of the judgment which came five years after another ballot dispute triggered widespread bloodshed.

    “It is the decision of the court that the third and fourth respondents were validly elected,” Chief Justice Willy Mutunga said in court, referring to Kenyatta and his running mate and deputy president William Ruto.

    He said the court had done its duty at a historical moment.

    “It is now for the Kenyan people, their leaders, civil society, the private sector and the media to discharge (their duty), to ensure that the unity, peace, sovereignty and prosperity of the nation is preserved,” he added.

    After a week of hearings, the court had unanimously decided the March 4 vote was conducted in a free, fair and credible manner in line with the constitution, he said.

    Many ordinary Kenyans have insisted they will not allow a repeat of the violence that killed more than 1,200 people and hammered the economy following a dispute over the last election in 2007.

    Meanwhile, Odinga has accepted the ruling of the Supreme Court which dismissed his challenge to the presidential election result, and wished Kenyatta well.

    “The court has now spoken,” Odinga told a news conference. “I wish the president-elect, honourable Uhuru Kenyatta, and his team well.”