ICC cases to feature in envoys meeting

What you need to know:

  • Top officials lined up for meeting at city hotel

Kenya’s envoys will be briefed on Monday about the country’s engagement with the International Criminal Court.

The meeting at the Intercontinental Hotel will be followed the following day with a courtesy call on President Mwai Kibaki at a venue and time yet to be confirmed.

The Monday meeting will be officially led by Ambassador Lazarus Amayo and facilitated by the acting Foreign Affairs permanent secretary, Patrick Wamoto.

The opening remarks will be delivered by Internal Security minister George Saitoti, who is also the acting Foreign Affairs minister.

Kenyan officials backed up by experts will then brief the envoys on the government’s resolution to appeal for the postponement of the ICC cases facing six prominent Kenyans.

The permanent secretary in the ministry of Justice, National Cohesion and Constitutional Affairs, Amina Mohammed, has been detailed to brief the envoys about the status of the Implementation of Agenda 4.

At around 3pm, the President’s advisor on constitutional affairs, Prof Kivutha Kibwana, will take them through an overview of the Constitution, the status of implementation and the challenges.

After an interactive session and tea break, the envoys will be met by the Solicitor General from the State Law Office, Wanjuki Muchemi, who has been briefed to detail the ambassadors on issues to do with the International Criminal Law and the ICC together with the background and objectives.

A number of experts have been lined up to discuss what it will take for Kenya to obtain a deferral of the ICC cases, the decision’s implication to the suspects as well as the options available.

Ambassador Patrick Wamoto will explain Kenya’s shuttle diplomacy status, its prospects and problems.

The envoys will also be briefed on the African Union perspective while Ambassador Macharia Kamau, Permanent Representative, Kenya Mission to the United Nations, New York, will give the United Nations perspective.

Prof Ruthie Rono of Kenya’s embassy at the Hague will present the perspectives from The Hague.

The assistant minister for Foreign Affairs, Richard Onyonka, who is on record denying knowledge of the envoys’ visit and Monday meeting, is set to close it.

Already the government has petitioned the United Nations Security Council appealing for a request to defer the case to be considered.

The petition has, however, not been confirmed as received.

The government plans to rally the Permanent UN Security Council members for support just in case one of a veto.