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| Fatou Bensouda |
By Mwangi Wilson Murimi
Recent visits to Kenya by the 2008
post-poll chaos chief mediator Kofi Annan, and the ICC prosecutor Fatou
Bensouda raise eyebrows. The oddity of some of Annan and Bensouda’s remarks
during their visits raise even more eyebrows!
When Annan visited the country early this
month he made an outburst that Kenya risked suffering a diplomatic entanglement
with the West if either Uhuru or Ruto were elected as president.
This was a statemnet ran against the political
freedom of the Kenyan people from whom the legitimate authority of choosing
their leaders is derived. It was in fact a flagrant infringement into
sovereignty of the country.
While he was justified as the chief
mediator in the 2008 post-poll chaos to visit the country and assess the
progress of the coalition government, it was competently erroneous for him to
flagrantly discredit the candidacy of the two.
Additionally during his visit Annan comment
on judiciary, one of the most reformed arms of the coalition government. There
has been a general feeling that the comments could have been an inducement for
the Kenyan courts to give a verdict that suits the stand of the West on the
Uhuru-Ruto candidacy.
The comment must not be taken seriously since
the same judiciary has goofed in the recent past in what can be termed as
judicial activism by removing the ban on Mombasa Republican Council (MRC) which
has been discredited with the recent past by chaos.
There is also a general feeling in part
of the country that Chief Justice Willy Mutunga sides with some political class
under the reform agenda.
This same feeling, which can’t be set ignored
even though it’s a long shot claims Annan on his meeting with Prime Minister
Raila Odinga behind closed door meeting talked on issues of the forthcoming elections
and not about the coalition government.
Now the recent meeting by ICC prosecutor Fatou
Bensouda to visit 2007/08 PEV hotspots and seek cooperation on evidence in Hague
cases from the government though good got muddled by her statement like Annan.
In her press statement she spoke of the
politicization of the ICC, and exonerated the court from claims of persecuting
Kenya or finishing certain tribes.
Bensouda also became a subject in the
mouth of Kenyans after her remarks that the ICC would not adjust its calendar
to allow the participation of Ruto and Uhuru in the forthcoming elections
scheduled for March year didn’t augur well with some Kenyans .
The international community must respect
not only the sovereignty of the Kenya but also the right of the Kenyans to
exercise their political freedom in choosing leaders.
Although both Annan and Bensouda may be
black they work for West backed institutions like UN and ICC who often
intervene when West interest are threatened by developing countries.
Like the current escalating cold war
between five permanent members of the Security Council on fundamental issues
like nuclear arms race, Arab spring, green energy and the rise of China.
China’s economic reputation with bilateral
trade with Africa (including Kenya) has irked the West which is sinking in economic
crisis which can be used by UN and ICC to meddle with Kenyan elections to bring
in West friendly nations.
This is why allegations that the ICC
could be used as a tool to settle political scores between Kenya and the West
by entrenching a West-Friendly government should not be ignored..
The writer studies communication
and media at Maseno University wilsonmurimi@yahoo.com
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