Kenya: Museveni Tells Africa to Rethink Relations With ICC After 'The Big
Boys' Summoned Kenyatta
By Joseph Kariuki
9 October 2014
Uganda's president Yoweri Museveni has said Africa should review its
relationship with the International Criminal Court after it summoned
President Uhuru Kenyatta to appear before it.
"African leaders should review their relationships with ?ICC? during the
next summit. Our brother Uhuru Kenyatta was supposed to be here, but was
summoned by the "Big Boys," Museveni said during Uganda's Independence day
celebration at Kololo in Kampala on Thursday.
"ICC has displayed the highest form of 'shallowness' by handling Kenya's
2007 post-election violence as a legal matter, and not as an ideological
problem," Museveni said in his speech.
The independence day was attended by EAC presidents, Kenya was represented
by Education CS Jacob Kaimenyi
Kenyatta had applied to be excused from attending the summons citing prior
engagements in Kampala including the launch of Uganda's Standard Gauge
Railway construction on Wednesday and the independence day celebration.
Kenyatta returned to Kenya on Thursday to a heroic welcome by supporters. He
said the ICC had wasted his valuable time by summoning him to the court.
"Even if the ICC wants to proceed for 20 years they will not scare us,"
Kenyatta said.
He said Kenyans have solutions to their issues and are looking for partners,
"but the agenda and plan is ours."
"I was in the court for three hours without saying a word; I wonder why I
had to be there," he said.
Kenyatta told the supporters he decided not to take the presidency to The
Hague.
His deputy William Ruto said the ICC was no longer a personal matter.
"They told us that this is a personal matter. They can now see that it is a
personal matter to millions of Kenyans," Ruto said outside Harambee House.