Pulling out of treaty ill-advised, says Cord

Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (Cord) boss Raila Odinga Thursday led MPs and senators from the coalition in rejecting plans to pull Kenya out of the International Criminal Court.

Mr Odinga chaired a strategy meeting attended by over 130 MPs which resolved to oppose the motion sponsored by Leader of Majority in Parliament Aden Duale shortly before the debate began in the House Thursday.

Mr Odinga dismissed the ICC issue as less important, saying that the country should now be more focused on how to deal with the high cost of living and raging insecurity.

“We’ve talked about the value added tax, insecurity and the convention of the special session of Parliament; the first two issues are of greater importance to us and warrant a special session of Parliament. Not the ICC,” he told a press conference held at Orange House shortly after Cord’s parliamentary group meeting.

Mr Odinga did not directly speak on the coalition’s resolutions on the ICC issue when he spoke to the media but he addressed other issues discussed in the meeting before asking Tongaren MP Eseli Simiyu to read a prepared statement on the special convention of Parliament.

“Withdrawal from the ICC will be inconsistent with and defeat the purposes and objectives of the Constitution of Kenya and will not bring honour to the nation and dignity to our people,” read the Cord statement.

Further, Cord leaders warned that Kenya risked a dented reputation if it became the first country to pull out of the ICC.

“Nearly a fortnight ago the UN General Assembly reaffirmed its full support for the ICC and Kenya should not take lightly the resolutions and commitment of the world body,” noted Dr Simiyu.