Analysts say the motion is likely to be passed, making it the first country to cancel its ICC membership.
The ICC has charged both President
Uhuru Kenyatta and Deputy President
William Ruto with crimes against humanity, which they both deny. Mr Ruto’s case is due
to start next week.
The ICC said the cases will
continue, even if
Kenya pulled out.
The charges against both Mr Kenyatta and Mr Ruto stem from violence that broke out after disputed elections in 2007.
‘Immense implications’
They were on opposite sides of the 2007 election but formed an alliance for elections in March this year and analysts say the ICC prosecutions bolstered their campaign as they portrayed it as foreign interference in Kenya’s domestic affairs.
Kenya’s parliament is dominated by the Jubilee coalition, led by Mr Kenyatta and Mr Ruto.
Some MPs hope the motion, expected to be passed, will free Mr Kenyatta and Mr Ruto from the ICC cases, says the BBC’s Ruth Nesoba in the capital
Nairobi.
However, ICC spokesman Fadi El Abdallah has been quoted by local media as saying that the cases against Kenya’s two top leaders and journalist Joshua Arap Sang would go ahead even if Kenya withdrew from the Rome Statute that established the ICC.
Mr Abdallah also said it would take at least a year before an application to withdraw from the ICC comes into effect.
Any decision by Kenya to withdraw from the ICC would haveimmense implications, our reporter says.
No other country has ended its membership of the ICC.
Both Mr Kenyatta and Mr Ruto have repeatedly called for the cases against them to be dropped, saying the charges are politically motivated.
The ICC has refused and says it pursues justice impartially.
In May, the African Union accused the ICC of “hunting” Africans because of their race.
The ICC strongly denies this, saying it is fighting for the rights of the African victims of atrocities.
The ICC was set up in 2002 to deal with genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and the crime of aggression.
The court has been ratified by 121 countries, including 34 in Africa.
BBC
SHUKA CHINI KUTOA MAONI YAKO
Analysts say the motion is likely to be passed, making it the first country to cancel its ICC membership.The ICC has charged both President Uhuru Kenyatta and Deputy President William Ruto with crimes against humanity, which they both deny. Mr Ruto’s case is due to start next week.The ICC said the cases will continue, even if Kenya pulled out.The charges against both Mr Kenyatta and Mr Ruto stem from violence that broke out after disputed elections in 2007.‘Immense implications’They were on opposite sides of the 2007 election but formed an alliance for elections in March this year and analysts say the ICC prosecutions bolstered their campaign as they portrayed it as foreign interference in Kenya’s domestic affairs.Kenya’s parliament is dominated by the Jubilee coalition, led by Mr Kenyatta and Mr Ruto.Some MPs hope the motion, expected to be passed, will free Mr Kenyatta and Mr Ruto from the ICC cases, says the BBC’s Ruth Nesoba in the capital Nairobi.However, ICC spokesman Fadi El Abdallah has been quoted by local media as saying that the cases against Kenya’s two top leaders and journalist Joshua Arap Sang would go ahead even if Kenya withdrew from the Rome Statute that established the ICC.Mr Abdallah also said it would take at least a year before an application to withdraw from the ICC comes into effect.Any decision by Kenya to withdraw from the ICC would haveimmense implications, our reporter says.No other country has ended its membership of the ICC.Both Mr Kenyatta and Mr Ruto have repeatedly called for the cases against them to be dropped, saying the charges are politically motivated.The ICC has refused and says it pursues justice impartially.In May, the African Union accused the ICC of “hunting” Africans because of their race.The ICC strongly denies this, saying it is fighting for the rights of the African victims of atrocities.The ICC was set up in 2002 to deal with genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and the crime of aggression.The court has been ratified by 121 countries, including 34 in Africa.BBC
