Kenya’s Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka sets off for ICC deferral mission
Kenya’s Vice President started the second round of shuttle diplomacy to lobby for the deferment of the country’s post election violence case at the ICC by a year. He was scheduled to meet with the UN secretary general Ban Ki Moon on Tuesday March 8 and with US officials the following day.
The Vice President leads a team of envoys comprising of ministers appointed by the president, who will target the United States (US), Russia, United Kingdom (UK), China and France who are permanent members of the UN Security Council. They will also seek the support of non permanent members Nigeria, Gabon, South Africa, Lebanon, Brazil, Colombia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Germany and Portugal.
According to the Vice President’s Press Secretary, Kaplich Barsito, this second round of shuttle diplomacy lobbying is critical in Kenya’s quest for the deferral.
Justification for the deferral
While arguing that the deferral will not deny Kenyans who suffered during the post elections justice, the Vice President said that envoys would argue that the ICC process has a potential to affect Kenya’s fragile stability and could spill to the region. The instability would further interfere with movement of goods to land locked countries that rely on Kenya.
Saying Kenya takes ICC as a court of last resort, Mr Barsito said that there are millions of Kenyans who are against the ICC process but their voices have been drowned by civil society voices. Mr. Barsito added that a local judicial process would go hand in hand with national healing and reconciliation.
Voices against the deferment
There are divisions in the government itself regarding this mission. Notably, the Minister for Justice, National Cohesion and Constitutional Affairs Hon. Mutula Kilonzo has opposed this mission. Prime Minister’s party ODM, a partner in the coalition government has also opposed this mission.
Former MP and a Senior Counsel Paul Muite has accused the government of using taxpayers’ money to collect signatures from the public against the ICC process. During the first round of shuttle diplomacy, Mr Musyoka led a number of ministers in lobbying mission in a number of African countries which cost tax-payers more than KSh30 million (est. USD 375,000).
Mr Muite said that chiefs were paying individuals Sh200 each to sign a petition against ICC.
While Mr Muite said that the six on the Ocampo list had the right to collect signatures they did not have the right to use taxpayers’ money. He argued that this is the highest form of corruption and impunity. He accused President Kibaki of taking the anti-ICC efforts as a government project; a thing he said could expose him to possible indictments.