Kenya defends Bashir's visit

Written By:Catherine Achienga , Posted: Tue, Aug 31, 2010

The government's commitment to cooperate with the Intrnational Criminal Court to prosecute post election violence suspects was put to question in parliament Tuesday as legislators faulted its move to invite Sudan President Omar El Bashir for the promulgation ceremony on Friday.

In the government's defense, Minister for Foreign Affairs Moses however said despite been a signatory to the Rome statute Kenya has an obligation to honor a resolution by the African Union as a member state.

The AU in January 2009 passed a resolution not to cooperate with the ICC's warrant of arrest on Bashir. and reiterated the same at the heads of state's meeting in Kampala last month until it receives a response from the UN Security Council seeking to defer the arrest warrant against the sitting president for one year.

While reading a statement supporting Kenya's failure to take action against Bashir in parliament, Wetangula expressed regret that the UN Security Council has never adhered to its request while taking issue with the international community for lashing out at Kenya in an attempt to coerce the government to ignore its obligations to the AU.

Wetangula pointed out that by isolating Bashir Kenya which played a key role in brokering peace in Sudan would be jeopardizing the gains made so far towards the completion of the Sudan peace process which is vital to the region's peace and pouring cold water on the CPA agreement which comes to an end in a referendum next year.

He also dispelled allegations that Bashir sneaked into the country on Friday saying he landed at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport after which he inspected a guard of honor before being driven to Uhuru Park, the venue of the celebrations.

Wetangula told a heated parliament that Bashir's visit to Kenya had prompted a meeting between the president and his two vice presidents held on Monday during which several resolutions were arrived at.

This he said included the holding of the Sudan referendum on the date fixed in January 2011, as well as the removal of all impeding barriers facing the referendum commissions and the demarcation of north and south border before the referendum.