Legislators, governors and MCAs allied to the ruling Jubilee Coalition have told off the ICC over last Friday’s censure by its judges over continuing prayer rallies. The Jubilee leaders also told former Prime Minister Raila Odinga and his Cord brigade not to use the name of Deputy President William Ruto and the ICC cases during their planned tour in Rift Valley.
And barely 48 hours after The Hague-based Court warned that Kenyan politicians should cease commenting on the ongoing case against Ruto and journalist Joshua Sang’, the Jubilee leadership defiantly vowed to continue with prayers.
The leaders vowed that they would neither be intimidated by the judges nor allow themselves to be told what to do and how to operate. Speaking at Suswa grounds in Narok county yesterday, more than 200 MPs spoke, with each having a dig against the ICC, saying they will not be bullied into boycotting the prayer meetings. “We will not stop the prayer rallies.
We will not be intimidated by the court and we will intensify the prayers across the country,” said National Assembly Leader of Majority, Aden Duale who led the MPs in yesterday’s prayers.
The MPs were reacting to a statement by the judges handling Ruto’s case, who on Friday expressed dismay over what they described as a clamour in the Kenyan media to influence outcome of the trial.
Presiding Judge Chile Eboe-Osuji warned, in a strongly worded statement, that they were fully aware of attacks directed at the court, especially when major decisions are made. Osuji said the attacks were aimed to either support a conviction or acquittal but in the long run, could end up undermining the work of the judges and the authority of the court.
He regretted that some commentaries appearing in the media amounted to insults aimed at the court and judges. Duale said the Jubilee leadership did not have any problem with the ICC, but was concerned that the process had taken a political angle.
And in what appeared to be a change in the common “fixing” narrative, the Jubilee leadership said those who fixed President Uhuru Kenyatta were the same ones who did so to Ruto. Duale said collaboration between members of retired President Kibaki’s PNU party who did not want Uhuru Kenyatta to succeed him, and those from ODM who did not want Ruto, fixed the case at The Hague.
“The two groups, led by Narc Kenya leader Martha Karua and ODM’s Raila Odinga, pushed the agenda to lock out the two from presidency through The Hague,” claimed Duale.
He said through prayers, one of the ICC judges has withdrawn herself from the case due to her involvement in the passage of the controversial Rule 68, and similarly activist Ken Wafula had seen the light in the prayers and made an about-turn.
He called on the Cord leader, his Narc Kenya counterpart, and others who have similar information, to be brave, follow suit, and record statements with DPP’s office, “the same way, Moses Kuria did.”
Duale appealed to Wafula to come forward and mention all those involved in the procuring and coaching of “false” witnesses. Senate Leader of Majority Kindiki Kithure, Narok Governor Samuel Tunai, Elgeyo Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen, MPs Benson Mutura, Dennis Waweru and Maina Kamanda, all told off the ICC, reminding the court that Kenya is a sovereign State whose Constitution grants each of her citizens the right to worship, association and criticism of injustice.
Murkomen said during the rally, punctuated by gospel music, they “will pray, continue to pray, and demand for justice until Ruto and Sang are released. We will not be lectured as if we are high school students.
The court’s responsibility is to listen, and rule on the case according to the laid down laws that govern the Rome Statute. This can not be done through intimidation, lecturing, and threats.” He said if presiding Judge Eboe Osuji wanted to be respected, he should observe the same. He claimed that the court “changed rules of the game midway”, and Kenya will not respect any decision coming out of the court.
Kindiki said the court would not deter the prayers process until Ruto and Sang were released. “We are here to pray for our people, and expose inconsistencies and injustices against the DP and Sang,” Kindiki added. He said the process had been politicised and they won’t allow that to happen. In a petition signed by 185 legislators and read by Kigumo MP, Jamleck Kamau, the MPs castigated the statement by the Trial Chamber.
“The statement by the Trial Chamber attempting to lecture, intimidate and gag Kenyans and their leaders in the mistaken hope that they will subdue them into silence is unfortunate, unlawful and a gross violation of the basic values of the Rome Statute and fundamental principles of international law,” read the petition.
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