By Athuman Mtulya, The Citizen Reporter
(email the author)
Posted Saturday, September 7 2013 at 11:31
Posted Saturday, September 7 2013 at 11:31
In Summary
Dar es Salaam. Tanzania has written a letter to
The Hague-based International Criminal Court (ICC) for a case involving
Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy, Mr William Ruto, to be
heard in their absence.
Tanzanian Foreign minister Bernard Membe said
yesterday that Kenya had recently filed a petition to the ICC requesting
the two leaders not to attend their cases until the judgment. The two
leaders said by so doing they would be able to execute their
responsibilities home.
“They [Kenya] also asked all 33 members of the
African Union who are signatories of the Rome statute to write to ICC in
favour of their petition. Tanzania did so on Wednesday,” said Mr Membe.
Due to rising concerns by Africans that ICC has
been targeting only Africa and is used to punish Africans, AU leaders in
January next year will deliberate whether member countries should opt
to withdraw their membership from the ICC.
“Kenya as we know has already withdrawn from the
ICC, it is a common sentiment among Africans that ICC is not doing
justice to the continent, therefore our leaders are going to discuss the
matter first on top level at the AU, then respective countries will
determine their own future.”
source: The citizen
source: The citizen
