Bartamaha(Kampala):- UGANDA and South Africa are backing the delay of the trial of three Kenyan ministers wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) over their role in the 2008 post-election violence.
The Kenyan vice-president, Kalonzo Musyoka, who was in Uganda last week, told Kenya’s Daily Nation newspaper that he had met with President Yoweri Museveni and President Zuma of South Africa, who agreed that the issue should be addressed locally.
The wanted officials include suspended education minister William Ruto, industrialisation minister Henry Kiprono Kosgey and radio executive Joshua Arap Sang. The three are facing charges of murder, deportation, persecution and torture.
Musyoka and several Kenyan Cabinet ministers are to visit a number of African capitals to solicit support for Kenya’s position ahead of the AU summit to be held later this month.
Musyoka is also expected to meet Malawi President Bingu wa Mutharika, Nigeria’s Minister Meles Zenawi to explain Kenya’s position.
Other Kenyan cabinet ministers will travel to Botswana, Lesotho, Zimbabwe, Djibouti and Ghana to meet with African presidents over the case.
Musyoka said it was President Kibaki’s wish that the ministers travel to brief African presidents over the situation.
“We did not want to ambush his colleagues at the AU summit,” he said.
Musyoka, however, said in seeking to defer the cases, the government was not trying to pull out of the ICC.
Musyoka added that MPs had been recalled from their Christmas break to speed up the passing of required Bills and approve names of new appointees to the Judiciary and the Police.
The key appointments are that of chief justice, attorney general, director of public prosecutions and inspector general of Police.
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Source:- NEW VISION
