ICC IS NOT POLITICAL

Eric Sindabi

Politicians should not distort
public opinion on ICC prosecutions

The on going International Criminal Court prosecutions against prominent Kenyans suspected to have organized the 2007/08 post poll violence is a matter of great national concern.It is a step a head for kenyans' fight against impunity - the mis use of power,injustice and insecurity that has dogged the ordinary citizens of Kenya for very long time.

While the general public opinion is that those who will be found guilty should carry their own cross irrespective of their political; nor ethnic backgrounds,politicians are out to distort the public opinion to fulfill their own selfish interests.The suspects should present themselves at the court and defend them selves appropriately and independently in case the pre- trial judges confirm the charges against them.

It should be noted that ICC is an independent legal outfit that carries out its own investigations and prosecutions while putting less in concern the political nor any other implications.Hence the notion that the ICC prosecutions are politically motivated is totally out of order.To starters,the chief mediator whose team had recommended for investigations into the causes of the post poll violence had effortlessly given kenyans a chance to form a tribunal that would try the suspects but parliament had thrown out that option even after a tireless appeal from the president and the prime minister.

It is thus disgusting that some politicians are out to divide the nation along tribal lines concerning the ICC prosecutions.The lead judge Ekatirina Trendatiliva has has announced that the suspects would soon know their fate and pledged that justice shall be achieved for both the suspects and victims and indeed for all kenyans by the court.Kenyans should therefore be patient and leave politics and tribalism out of the ICC issue.

To emphasize i strongly believe that the court is an independent legal entity that has no strings attached but the rule of law.The political or ethnic implications the prosecutions may have on the people of kenya should not be a guiding end in the case but the provisions of the existing laws.Politicians should not distort public opinion through propaganda as they try to manipulate the ICC prosecution a head of the 2012 v general elections.