Top Hague official jets in Monday

A top International Criminal Court official arrives in the country on Monday to discuss the assistance that will be required of the government should the judges indict the “Ocampo Six”. (Read: Ocampo names Kenya chaos suspects)

Ms Silvana Arbia, the ICC registrar, is the first high-ranking official to visit the country since prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo named the six Kenyans he intends to open cases against over their suspected role in the post-election violence.

Government sources said Ms Arbia would meet Internal Security minister George Saitoti on the logistics involving the cases that affect Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta and suspended cabinet ministers William Ruto and Henry Kosgey.

Others on Moreno-Ocampo’s list are public service head Francis Muthaura, former police chief Hussein Ali and radio journalist Joshua arap Sang.

As the registrar, Ms Arbia’s job revolves around the protection of witnesses and victims and provision of any legal assistance.

The visit by the ICC registrar comes a week after the Pre-Trial Chamber rejected an application by Mr Ruto asking the court to block the prosecutor from issuing summonses to those under investigation. (Read: ICC judges reject Ruto case)

Meanwhile, Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka leaves for Libya on Monday on the latest leg in his shuttle diplomacy to rally African Union members behind the government’s bid to have the UN Security Council ask the ICC to defer the Kenyan case for a year.

Mr Musyoka has been to South Africa, Uganda and Malawi on the same mission, which is opposed by coalition partner ODM.

Deputy PM Musalia Mudavadi has distanced the Orange party with the ongoing lobbying despite Mr Musyoka having said publicly that the missions had been sanctioned by the President.

Clear message

On Sunday, Government spokesman Alfred Mutua explained that as the Head of State, President Kibaki could decide to send people to represent him “because what he is doing is to talk to his fellow brother presidents”.

He said that those on the mission had a clear message — that Kenya is not a failed state and that the country has been undertaking reforms and would like to be given a chance to sort out its internal affairs in a way that brings justice and long-term harmony.