Jubilee lawmakers vow to camp at ICC

Jubilee legislators pray at Olkalou town in Nyandarua County. The legislators vowed to camp in The Hague in order to compel the International Criminal Court to end the criminal cases against Deputy President William Ruto and former journalist Joshua Sang. [Photo: James Munyeki/Standard]

Jubilee legislators have vowed to camp in The Hague during the Assembly of State Parties conference that opens on November 18.

This, they said, was in a bid to press for the International Criminal Court (ICC) to drop the criminal cases facing Deputy President William Ruto and former radio presenter Joshua arap Sang.

Some 43 MPs and senators made the vow yesterday during prayers for the DP hosted by Ol Kalou MP David Kiaraho at Ol Kalou in Nyandarua County.

Led by National Assembly Majority Leader Aden Duale and his Senate counterpart Kithure Kindiki, they vowed to face ICC Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda and demand the dropping of the case which they termed as political.

The leaders demanded that Rule 68 which allowed recanted evidence to be used against Ruto's case be dropped, failure to which they would force Kenya to withdraw from the Rome Statute which establishes the ICC.

"We want to announce to Kenyans that we are now ready to travel to The Hague to face Bensouda head-on. Over 100 of us will camp at the ICC to face the prosecutor.

"There is no way evidence by people who had been bribed can be used against an innocent person. We will camp there until our demands are met," said Mr Duale.

He noted the National Assembly had already written a petition to be presented to the Assembly of State Parties meeting set to be held in The Hague from November 18 to 24 demanding that Rule 68 of the Rome Statute be reduced.

He said they had also written to all legislators in Africa to support the African Union's stand to end the case.

Mr Kindiki took issue with some non-governmental organisations, which he alleged were fuelling the ICC case.

"It is a shame that some of us are pretending to side with the ICC instead of supporting one of our own," he said.

Elgeyo Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen urged the ICC to stop using recanted evidence against Ruto.

Nairobi Senator Mike Sonko urged leaders to respect the presidency.