Kalonzo to press on with deferral bid
Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka with UN chief Ban Ki-Moon when they met on March 8, 2011 at the United Nations in New York. Mr Musyoka and his team will continue lobbying for a deferral of Hague cases against six Kenyans over the poll chaos. Photo/VPPS
Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka will soldier on with the bid to have Kenya’s case deferred, even after the six suspects were summoned to The Hague.
Mr Musyoka and his team learnt of the summons during a meeting with ICC officials in New York on Tuesday.
“We were told (of the judges’) decision by an ICC team which we were meeting,” said a member of the delegation.
Meetings with diplomats
The VP and his delegation, comprising Cabinet ministers Sally Kosgei, Hellen Sambili and Njeru Githae and Kenya’s UN ambassador Josephine Ojiambo held meetings with diplomats from some of the countries with seats on the 15-member Security Council.
According to the Vice-President’s Press Service, the delegation met with UN secretary-general Ban Ki-Moon and other Security Council members to outline the steps taken in Kenya to ensure that justice was delivered to suspects and victims of the violence.
Mr Musyoka also delivered President Kibaki’s letter asking the UN boss to support Kenya’s efforts to set up a local tribunal.
Mr Ban urged Kenyans to move fast and put in place a credible local judicial process.
The VP’s delegation also held meetings with the American envoy to the UN, Ms Susan Rice, as well as Security Council representatives of France and the United Kingdom.
They took turns to list the judicial and police reforms as proof of Kenya’s determination to try the suspects.
“Whether through deferral by the UN Security Council or by directly applying to the ICC under article 19 of the Rome Statute, we are eager to close that chapter in our recent history at home by obtaining justice for the victims and healing the nation,” said the VP’s spokesperson, Mr Kaplich Barsito.
On Monday evening, the team held talks with Security Council president Li Baodong and formally handed over Kenya’s request.
Mr Li informed the VP that the request would be circulated to council’s member countries for consideration.
Those summoned to The Hague on April 7 are Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta, MPs Henry Kosgey and William Ruto, head of public service Francis Muthaura, former police commissioner Hussein Ali and radio journalist Joshua Sang.
