NCIC cautions leaders on ICC debate

Written By:Doreen Appolos/KNA,    Posted: Thu, Mar 17, 2011

NCIC Chairman, Dr Mzalendo Kibunjia

National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) is raising the red flag over utterances by a section of the political elite over the ICC cases, warning that it is a recipe for chaos.

Speaking at a press briefing at their offices in Nairobi, NCIC Chairman, Dr Mzalendo Kibunjia said that the commission was concerned on the direction that the ongoing debate on ICC summonses is taking and called for sobriety and sincerity.

Kibunjia said politicizing the ICC process may lead to a replica of the 2007/2008 post election violence in the 2012 general election.

"We must stop ethnicising and politicizing the judicial processes because it is a clear indication of violence come next election." Said Kibunjia adding that the negative ethnicity angle has constantly showed its face in instances where leaders are subjected to legal processes inevitability falling back to their ethnic communities for support.

The commission has therefore advised the government to prioritize national healing and reconciliation even as Kenyans focus on the ICC trials as a means to end impunity.

He added" the biggest threat to the rule of law is the unhealthy mix of politics with judicial processes, as is the case in the discussions that are ongoing on the ICC cases"

Kibunjia emphasized the need for a local mechanism that will ensure all the perpetrators of the post poll chaos are tried if healing is to be realized. He says peace is yet to be fully achieved especially in Western, Nyanza, Rift valley and Central provinces

He further said that NCIC believes that ICC will end impunity and bring justice to the victims but should not blind Kenyans to forget about reconciliation process come 2012.

He urged   leaders, institutions and political class to refrain from using a legal process to score political points or gain political mileage and falsely trying to bring ethnic angle into play when discussing this issue.

Kibunjia called upon Kenyans, civil society, opinion shapers and international community to be positive and remain focused assuring that the Commission will carry out its mandate to unite Kenyans.

 "Each person must remember that peace is an individual responsibility and choice and just as we were able to remove ethnicity from the referendum, we must again embarrass all those with anti unity motives so that we can leave  behind a peaceful and harmonious society for our coming  generations.", He added.