FALSE: Photo does not show the drought situation in Embolioi, Kajiado County, in October 2022
A non-governmental organization on Tuesday asked ICC new prosecutor Karim Khan to watch out on Kenya as the country gears up to the 2022 general election year.
The International Center for Policy and Conflict (ICPC) executive director Ndung’u Wainaina in a statement on Tuesday emphasized on the need to monitor Kenya as political tensions rise day by day.
“The Prosecutor must pay particular attention to any reports of inciting hatred, exclusion and physical violence. The Prosecutor must warn anyone who commits, orders, incites, encourages or contributes, in any other way, to the commission of Rome Statute crimes, is liable to prosecution by the ICC,” Ndung’u said and added that a section of Kenyan politicians were now resorting to ethnic mobilization and making public utterances that can stoke tensions and ethnic conflicts.
Ndung’u also called on the international community to strongly speak out and take concrete actions against the state and individuals responsible for subverting the Constitution and the rule of law.
“Kenya is still a State Party to the Rome Statute of the ICC. It is also important to observe that Kenya remains an ICC Situation since 2011 cases have never been closed though vacated,” Ndung’u said.
The executive director also was critical of state impunity and abuse of state power saying that it is on the rise and should not be allowed to prevail.
Parties to the International Criminal Court last week elected Karim Khan as the new prosecutor for a nine-year term starting on June 16.
Khan was Deputy President William Ruto’s lead lawyer at the ICC and also represented former Head of Public Service Francis Muthaura.
By Shadrack Andenga Odinga