House split ahead of Hague debate

A showdown looms in Parliament on Tuesday over two controversial motions linked to the International Criminal Court proceedings.

Members of the House Business Committee which draws up the parliamentary business on a weekly basis are divided over two motions aimed at saving the six prominent personalities suspected to bear the greatest responsibility for the post-election violence from facing trial at The Hague.

One of the motions is sponsored by Chepalungu MP Isaac Ruto and urges the government to withdraw from the Rome Statute which establishes ICC.

The other motion is expected to be moved by Belgut MP Charles Keter and seeks to disband the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) on grounds that it is compromised.

Eldoret North MP William Ruto, who is among the six named in the Ocampo list, has accused KNCHR commissioner Hassan Omar of bribing and coaching witnesses to implicate him in the post-election violence.

On Sunday, Ikolomani MP Boni Khalwale who sits on the committee chaired by Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka said they would oppose the two motions, as there were more important tasks for Parliament to dispense with before the Christmas recess later this week.

“Parliament has more important business to deal with than motions which are motivated by selfish reasons. We will fight them both in the House Business Committee and on the floor of the House,” the MP vowed.

Speaker Kenneth Marende is expected to make a ruling on whether the motion seeking to pull out Kenya from the Rome Statute is proper on Tuesday afternoon.

On Sunday, Ndaragwa MP Jeremiah Kioni, who seconded the motion during a special session of Parliament last Thursday, maintained that they would use all means at their disposal to ensure the motion is debated and concluded before the House goes on recess.

“They tried to scuttle it last week and failed. We will ensure the motion is debated and concluded failure to which we will shoot down any motion to adjourn the House. Parliament can sit up to new year, we are not in a hurry,” Mr Kioni stated.

He criticised a section of House Business Committee members for attempting to “dictate” to Parliament what business it should discharge.

“They are not there to dictate to us, it is we who set the agenda, they should listen to us,” he stated.

The Nation learnt that the motion on the Rome Statute had divided the House Business Committee down the middle when it was first presented to members last Tuesday.

The motion was rejected then after the majority of members present said it was not a priority and lacked merit.