Pending Hague trials dominate House debate

The pending trials at the International Criminal Court, the rising cases of police brutality and the war in Somalia dominated debate in the House Wednesday as MPs began dissecting President Kibaki’s speech made to Parliament on Tuesday.

The pressure on government by the secessionist group on Kenya’s Coast, the Mombasa Republican Council and the looming war and violent conflict between Sudan and South Sudan were also top on MPs’ list of points as they interrogated the President’s Speech.

Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka set the ball rolling in MPs’ debate of President Kibaki’s ‘State of the Nation’ address to Parliament, with a resolute declaration against the MRC.

“This nation will not accept any secessionist moves because they’re unconstitutional… You cannot negotiate with people who claim not to be Kenyans,” said Mr Musyoka.

The VP called for a media blackout on the activities of the MRC.

“The media houses should also be patriotic. I ask the media not to highlight things that are clearly an interrogation on the integrity of the nation state…Issues that are not in the best interest of the nation should not be given prominence,” Mr Musyoka said.

Mr Musyoka, who is among those pushing for the ICC suspects –Uhuru Kenyatta, William Ruto, Joshua arap Sang’ and Francis Muthaura—to be tried in Kenya, added that “serious consultations are underway” to ensure that the four are not hauled for trial at The Hague.

The VP wondered “whether Kenyans will be comfortable with matters of this country being discussed outside this country”.

He also spoke of the deaths at Hell’s Gate where seven youth on a retreat perished.

“It is time we changed to the name of Hell’s Gate to glorious something. If you internalise hell, you begin living it while on earth, and we must change it!” said Mr Musyoka.

Asman Kamama (Baringo East) added that the Constituency Development Fund began in the first term of President Kibaki, was part and parcel of President Kibaki’s legacy. He said that the Kenya Defence Forces had been slowed down in its march to Somalia’s Kismayu, and added that “we want to deal with the issue of Al Shabaab once and for all”.

Martha Karua (Gichugu) declared herself as the official leader of the opposition. She rubbished the President’s speech as one that did not take cognisance of the shattered human rights record in the country given the police brutality witnessed in recent weeks.

“We cannot stop the police from doing their work; but they should not act in a brutal manner. On human rights the government cannot score whatsoever,” said Ms Karua.

“We look at them facilitating a political faction and traumatising  another. If one group is allowed, the other must be allowed too.”

Ms Karua said the President’s push to get the ICC suspects out of The Hague was suspect.

“I personally begged the President and the Prime Minister to come to the House, debate and support the Special Tribunal. But they just came to vote. They said we should not be vague but go to the Hague. Why the vagueness at this time? We asked for Hague and Hague it became,” said Ms Karua, a former Justice minister.

Ms Karua added: “The government has put its machinery at the disposal of the suspects; has it put the same machinery at the disposal of the victims? … the government is showing open partiality for the suspects and not showing the same for the victims and witnesses.”

She asked President Kibaki and the coalition government to use the close ties with Sudan, a friendship epitomised when Sudan’s President Omar al Bashir came for the promulgation of Kenya’s Constitution, to stop Sudan and South Sudan from going to war.

“We do not need war, we need peace in the region,” said Ms Karua.

Ababu Namwamba (Budalang’i) added that the police were turning Kenya into a police state. He accused the Head of State of paying lip service to the quest for national unity.

Mr Namwamba said that the controversy over the appointment of Godfrey Wahungu to the National Environment Management Authority as Director General, was an opportunity for the President to demonstrate national unity, but he blew it.

“Just look at the people in Finance, security, police, intelligence, Defence and other departments of government. Do you see the intention to reflect the face of Kenya matched with action? Unfortunately, from where I sit, I don’t,” said Mr Namwamba.

The skewed allocation of resources also featured in the debate with MPs questioning why some areas lagged behind in development.

“My constituency has no even one metre of tarmacked road. You give me Sh200 million in the budget, and then in the middle of the year, you take it away because you don’t want to tender quickly, and pay the contractors in central Kenya” said John Mbadi (Gwassi).

The debate continues.