Caption: The government had invited leaders from all its neighboring countries including Sudan
Kenya has hit out at the US for condemning Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir's presence at the promulgation ceremony of the new constitution.
Responding to the continued criticism over Bashir's visit to Kenya, The Ministry of Foreign affairs said countries criticizing Kenya over Bashir's visit did not subscribe to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.
"It is a matter of deep concern that some of the countries making regrettable remarks about Kenya and who are members of the UN Security Council have no commitment to ICC as they have filed to subscribe to the Rome Statute" said the assistant minister Richard Onyonka.
Onyonka while reaffirming Kenya commitment to ICC said Kenya had a legitimate and strategic interest in ensuring peace and stability in Sudan adding that the stability of the neighboring countries was important to Kenya.
" Sudan's stability is vitally linked to Kenya's continued peace and future wellbeing" explained Onyonka
He said the government had invited leaders from all its neighboring countries including Sudan.
"In extending the invitation to Bashir and his Vice President Salva Kiir, Kenya was desirous to take advantage of the new momentum for peace in the sub region" said...
The Assistant Minister revealed that many Western partners maintained high level representation and contacts with Sudan noting that the UN was prominently represented at the recent inauguration of the Sudanese leaders.
He further said African Union member states had agreed not to co-operate with ICC to arrest and surrender Bashir since the UN Security Council had failed to act on its request to suspend the war crimes accusations against him.
The African leaders who met last month in Kampala said charging Mr Bashir would jeopardise the peace process. " The AU decisions on this matters are clearly binding in Kenya" said the Onyonka
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