Ruto allies’ new strategy to beat the ICC is to go and camp there

By THTK Contributor
In this week’s press wrap, we look at why a group of Kenyan legislators are thinking about moving to The Hague, and is the mess in Burundi partly due to Kenya?
The leader of the majority in Kenya’s National Assembly, Aden Duale, has a real flare for the dramatic, especially when it comes to anything related to the ICC. Think of the most incendiary comments you’ve ever heard against the ICC, and they probably originated from Duale’s mouth.
ICC is a political court says AMajority leader, Aden Duale @noahotieno #JubileeVsICC pic.twitter.com/ye8tq9T225
— ktn (@KTNKenya) August 20, 2015
#Duale: The ICC is hell-bent on bringing down the #Jubilee government. #K24NewsCut
— K24 TV (@K24Tv) October 19, 2014
#Duale: ICC is politically motivated. This case was created to stop certain people from ascending to power. #RomeStatuteDebate
— Citizen TV Kenya (@citizentvkenya)
September 5, 2013
But there is more. When it comes to the ICC, Duale supplies hyperbole and propaganda by the tonne. Duale’s dislike of the ICC also extends to anyone who supports the Court – especially if they are African and should know better than to support a “racist” court. Duale actually feels so strongly about it that he famously stripped Kofi Annan of his credentials as an African. “He is not even an African; he is just a white man. He is just wearing the skin but he is more of a white man”, he said of the Ghanaian because of his support for the ICC’s intervention in the Kenyan situation. You get the point: Duale hates the ICC with the white-hot passion of a thousand burning suns.
But even by his extreme standards, Duale this week outdid himself. As The Standard reported, Duale is apparently preparing to take the fight against the ICC to the Court’s doorstop.
Jubilee lawmakers have vowed to camp at ICC to force the court to drop DP Ruto's case https://t.co/ND7KhJohsF
pic.twitter.com/FbgJz9ymar
— The Standard Digital (@StandardKenya) November 9, 2015
Yes, things are about to escalate. Tired of denouncing the ICC at “prayer” rallies, several MPs allied to the ruling Jubilee administration are apparently prepared to camp at The Hague to put Ruto and Sang’s trial to an end. It's safe to say a lot of Kenyans aren’t warming up to the idea.
People are clapping when Duale says 50+ MPs will go to waste their taxes in 7 stars hotels at the Hague in the name of withdrawal from ICC
— Astute Kenyan (@KithinjiKinoti)
November 8, 2015
How low can Kenyan lawmakers get? Jubilee lawmakers vow to camp at ICC
https://t.co/SIk0eIC3Aq via @StandardKenya
— Carolly araap Maiyo. (@kcmaiyo)
November 9, 2015
Misplaced priorities https://t.co/OLFcLqnKfE via @StandardKenya
— AMillionWays Kenyan (@AMillionWaysKE) November 9, 2015
Of course, if you’re a discerning consumer of ICC-related news stories from Kenya, none of this should surprise you. Duale and Moses I-fixed-William-Ruto Kuria are playing an old game. To the untrained eye they might appear to be loosest of loose cannons but are really just trying to impress the chiefs (read Uhuru Kenyatta and William Ruto). It’s hard to stand out at a “prayer” rally when there are more than 30 speakers. The only way to do it is spin the biggest tale you can. Cue Kuria’s “fixing” claims and Duale’s threats about camping at the ICC. I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait to hear what they will say at the next prayer rally. Make it juicy gentlemen!
Is the mess in Burundi partly on Kenya?
Burundi is not at a good place. There are daily reports of killings in the capital Bujumbura. Rwandan President Paul Kagame has accused Burundian leaders of condoning a massacre of their population. "People die every day, corpses litter the streets,” he said. The situation in the tiny East African nation has even prompted ICC Chief Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda to warn that her office will intervene if the killings continue.
The violence has been precipitated by President Pierre Nkurunziza’s stubborn push for a third term, but some Kenyans feel the situation has escalated because the deterrent power of institutions like the ICC has been worn out by constant attacks from Kenya and the African Union.
They badmouth ICC and call it a 'foreign tool against Africans' while they do nothing to save Burundi from her killer regime. Dead continent
— Lemukol Ng'asike (@mlemukol)
November 8, 2015
If the USA, Western Europe, n ICC attempt to enterfere with Burundi Killings Kenya will lead Africa to hold prayer rallies to oppose..
— Edward Kisiang'ani (@ekisiangani)
November 8, 2015
AU n its supporters in Kenya must be partying now about worsening situation in Burundi. ICC keep off coz this is an African matter!
— Edward Kisiang'ani (@ekisiangani)
November 8, 2015
Lead image: Aden Duale, Uhuru Kenyatta and William Ruto (Photo: State House Nairobi Facebook)
#Kenya#William Ruto