Parliament to hold special sitting Thursday to discuss ICC motion

The National Assembly will hold a special sitting September 5, 2013 to discuss a motion to withdraw Kenya from the Rome Statute that establishes the International Criminal Court. FILE 

In Summary

• MPs will attend the sitting starting at 2.30pm.
• Move comes five days before the case facing Deputy President William Ruto and former radio presenter Joshua arap Sang opens at The Hague.

ICC

By CAROLINE WAFULA
More by this Author

The National Assembly will hold a special sitting on Thursday to discuss a motion to withdraw Kenya from the Rome Statute that establishes the International Criminal Court.

According to a gazette notice dated Monday, MPs will attend the sitting starting at 2.30pm with a view of pulling the country out of the ICC, just five days before the case facing Deputy President William Ruto and former radio presenter Joshua arap Sang opens at The Hague.

"Pursuant to Standing Order 29 (3) of the Standing Orders of the National Assembly, it is notified for the information of Members of the National Assembly that a special sitting of the Assembly shall be held in the National Assembly Chamber in the Main Parliament Buildings, Nairobi, on Thursday, 5th September, 2013 at 2.20pm for purposes of consideration of a Motion relating to the membership of the Republic of Kenya to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court," the notice signed by Deputy Speaker Joyce Laboso reads.

On Monday, the ICC dismissed as inconsequential a move by MPs allied to the Jubilee Coalition to withdraw from the global court.

An ICC spokesman was categorical that the cases against President Kenyatta, Mr Ruto and Mr Sang would go on even if Kenya withdrew from the Rome Statute.

"As indicated in the Rome Statute of the ICC, a withdrawal does not have any impact on the open cases nor on the State’s obligations regarding cases that are already open before the ICC," said ICC spokesman Fadi el Abdallah