Kibaki orders Githu to set up legal team on ruling
President Kibaki has directed Attorney-General Githu Muigai to set up a legal team to study the ruling by the International Criminal Court and advise the government on what action needs to be taken.
This team is also likely to advise on whether Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta and Head of Civil Service Francis Muthaura would need to be relieved of their jobs as they prepare for their defence at The Hague.
The Head of State announced the directive to Prof Muigai hours after the ICC judges announced their verdict on the charges in the Kenyan situation.
President Kibaki, who did not discuss the future of Mr Kenyatta and Mr Muthaura, both of whom run important dockets, suggested that Kenya had done enough to prevent the intervention of the ICC in the future.
“We (have) enacted a new Constitution, substantially enhanced the capacity of our criminal justice system and made great strides in the reform within our system in the administration of justice,” said the Head of State.
“We now have a radically transformed Judiciary, an independent office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, a police service that is being fundamentally reformed and a functional witness protection agency.”
The President also asked Kenyans to remain calm in the wake of the ruling.
He was accompanied by ministers Moses Wetang’ula (Foreign Affairs) and George Saitoti (Internal Security) and permanent secretaries Mwangi Thuita (Foreign Affairs), Francis Kimemia (Internal Security) and Bitange Ndemo (Information).
Also present were Prof Muigai, the National Security Intelligence Service director, Maj-Gen Michael Gichangi, and principal administrative secretary Sam Mwale.
Prime Minister Raila Odinga was similarly brief and reserved in his reaction to the ruling by the Pre-Trial Chamber.
“The Prime Minister hopes that the final outcome will deliver justice to both the Kenyans before the ICC and the victims of post-election violence. In the meantime, the PM appeals to all Kenyans to remain calm and peaceful,” says a statement from his office.
