ICC cautions AU over Kenya bid to defer trials

ADDIS ABABA, Wednesday - The International Criminal Court (ICC) has raised concern over Kenya’s diplomatic campaign in Africa against The Hague-based court.

On Tuesday the court cautioned the African Union, asking that it show determination and responsibility in fighting impunity in Africa and particularly in Kenya.

The president of ICC's political wing - the Assembly of State Parties to the Rome Statute - Ambassador Christian Wenaweser visited AU headquarters in Addis Ababa late Tuesday and held talks with AU officials.

The ICC assembly chief handed over a letter to AU Commission chief Jean Ping, formally asking the organisation to cooperate with ICC.

Mr Wenaweser is set to arrive in Nairobi on Thursday and meet Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki and other government officials, MPs, civil society and the media on matters relating to the ICC, as part of the court's counter-diplomacy effort.

Diplomatic sources at the African Union told the Nation that Mr Wenaweser expressed ICC's concerns over lobbying by the Kenyan government in various African nations and at the African Union.

ICC expressed its deep concern about a growing trend of anti-ICC sentiments and continental pullout campaign spearheaded by Kenyan politicians.

The letter from ICC asked AU to consider its position wisely and not to back the request for deferral of the two cases that prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo wants to open against six individuals suspected to be the masterminds of the 2008 post-election violence in Kenya.

After receiving the letter, the AU Commission chief's office issued a statement, reiterating its commitment to fight impunity but stressed a need for continued dialogue between AU and ICC.

AU summit

Kenya is hoping for support from African Union member states if the agenda on the Kenya case is accepted at the AU summit scheduled for January 29th to 31st this year in Addis Ababa.

Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka has already been to several African countries to lobby for their support, receiving positive responses from several African states.

Ethiopia, the current chair of eastern Africa regional security and development bloc, IGAD, has already endorsed Kenya’s appeal and promised to push the agenda at the summit.

Kenya is a state party of the Rome statute and has ratified the law that created the ICC, and it is obliged to cooperate with the court in the investigation and prosecution of crimes, including the arrest and surrender of suspects.