NCCK opposes deferral of Kenya ICC cases

Written By:KBC reporters,    Posted: Sun, Mar 20, 2011

Karanja also supported the Commission on the Implementation of the Constitution that the next General Elections be held in August next year.

The National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK) has opposed the deferral of Kenyan case saying it is only through the International Criminal Court -ICC that the victims of the post election violence will get justice.

Speaking Sunday during a church service at African Independent Pentecostal Church of Africa of Bahati in Nairobi, NCCK Secretary General Canon Peter Karanja expressed disappointment over the misuse of public funds in what he termed a futile diplomacy  mission.

He said the move to have the cases postponed is aimed at protecting political careers of individuals at the expense of public interest.  

Karanja at the same time appealed to the leaders in the coalition government to put aside their political differences and focus on implementation of the new constitution.

He expressed fears that too much politicking in the country could derail the implementation process.

At the same time Karanja supported the Commission on the Implementation of the Constitution that the next General Elections be held in August next year.

Elsewhere, Information Minister Samuel Poghisio has criticized leaders and civil society groups supporting the ICC process.

Poghisio who spoke while on a tour to schools in Pokot County, said that the new constitution allows for the suspects to be tried locally. He urged Kenyans to maintain peace as they pray for the six suspects.

And Assistant Minister for Local Government Lewis Nguyai says he will push for the postponement of the general election if the case against the six suspected masterminds of the post election violence is not resolved by next year.

Nguyai who is also the Kikuyu MP claimed that 153 MPs are in support of the move.

Speaking at Kibiru Girls Secondary school in Gatundu South constituency, the legislator alleged the naming of the suspects by ICC was politically motivated.

On Saturday, the United Nations Security Council declined to support Kenya's bid to defer the cases for a one year to allow the government establish a local judicial mechanism to try the post election violence suspects.

The security council members dismissed assertions that the ICC trials could undermine international peace and and instead directed  Kenya to explore the option of challenging the admissibility of the cases and jurisdiction of the ICC in line with article 19 of the Rome Statute.

But Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka has clarified that the United Nations Security Council has not rejected the Kenyan request for the deferral of the International Criminal Court case.

Mr. Musyoka said that Kenya has not yet had a formal deliberation with the UN Security Council but had only sought for an informal meeting which will not provide a final verdict until a formal meeting is held.

Meanwhile, Eldoret North Mp William Ruto took a different stance Sunday over the issue. Ruto who was speaking in Kisii called on fellow politicians to abandon The Hague debate and concentrate on matters of national development.

He said concerns of the Ocampo six should not overshadow the interests of millions of Kenyans.

Eugene Wamalwa who had accompanied Ruto launched a spirited campaign against the old guard claiming they had lost touch with the realities of the recent times.