Cotu boss Francis Atwoli condemns International Criminal Court during The Hague visit

Cotu boss Francis Atwoli.

By FELIX OLICK

Central Organisation of Trade Unions (Cotu) boss Francis Atwoli and his wife Rose paid a surprise visit at the International Criminal Court (ICC) and launched a scathing attack on the court.

Atwoli described the ICC as a political court of disrepute that should not be allowed to try a sitting president and his deputy.

“Politically they (African Union) cannot allow one of their heads of state to be reduced to mere criminals being brought to such an international court of disrepute,” Atwoli said of the AU resolutions. “Their position is okay whether they are supported by the United Nations or not. As a continent we need to have a position.”

Atwoli said that President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto were democratically elected to serve Kenyans and cannot sit in a foreign court to face trial. “We don’t need to bring here the Head of State or the Deputy President when those people are democratically elected,” he said.

Colleague and brother

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The Secretary General gave Ruto a rosary, which he said would protect him from evil.

He said he was at The Hague to be in solidarity with Ruto, whom he described as a colleague and brother.

Atwoli said they have had a long relationship with Ruto dating back to 1992 when they were both in Youth for Kanu.