President Uhuru Kenyatta on Monday gave the clearest sign yet that Kenya is leaving from the International Criminal Court (ICC).

The President said the government will consider two motions passed by Parliament for Kenya’s withdrawal from the ICC.

He said the latest decision is informed by the failure by the ICC to reform so that it can have respect for national sovereignty of member countries.

“We have sought the changes that will align the ICC to respect for national sovereignty. Those changes have not been forthcoming. We will therefore need to give serious thought to our membership,” said the President.

READ: Kenya criticises ICC at United Nations meeting

 The Head of State, who spoke when he led Kenyans in the Jamhuri Day (independence day) celebrations, said the ICC showed a lack of impartiality when it dealt with Kenya and many more nations have recognised the same.

“We are not the world’s richest or most powerful nation, but we are entitled to an equal share of respect for our nationhood, our sovereignty, and our laws,” said the President.

Stable and just world

He said Kenya has been a champion of global institutions grounded in fairness and respect for national sovereignty as part of its pursuit of a more stable and just world.

“The Kenyan cases at the International Criminal Court have ended but the experience has given us cause to observe that this institution has become a tool of global power politics and not the justice it was built to dispense,” said the President.

He said the choices Kenyans make are the basis for how Kenya will steer its destiny as a sovereign state.

“Our founders fought bravely to have the right to make choices free of external interference,” he said.

The President added that the ICC was a tool being used by foreign powers who wanted to undermine Kenya’s sovereignty.</s>NAIROBI, KENYA - Kenya's president on Monday criticized the International Criminal Court as “not impartial,” saying his government “will give serious thought” to its membership of the court.

In a speech during celebrations marking 53 years since Kenya became independent, President Uhuru Kenyatta said he believed he would win a second term next year despite what he called “divisive politicians, external powers, the ICC or paid protesters.”

Kenyatta was elected in 2013 as he and his running mate, William Ruto, faced criminal charges at the ICC over their alleged roles in post-election violence in 2007-2008.

The charges against Kenyatta were withdrawn in 2014 while the case against Ruto was terminated earlier this year.

“In our pursuit of a more stable and just order, we are champions of global institutions grounded in fairness and respect for national sovereignty,” Kenyatta said Monday. “The Kenyan cases at the International Criminal Court have ended but the experience has given us cause to observe that this institution has become a tool of global power politics and not the justice it was built to dispense.”

He added: “We have started to see many more nations openly recognizing that the ICC is not impartial. Some have withdrawn. Others have considered that step. Twice, our parliament has passed motions to withdraw. We have sought the changes that will align the ICC to respect national sovereignty. Those changes have not been forthcoming. We will therefore need to give serious thought to our membership.”

South Africa, Burundi and Gambia have announced plans to withdraw from The Hague-based court.

Meanwhile, Kenyan police fired tear gas on Monday to disperse a protest march against government corruption.

The march was part of a protest movement by activists who want the government to do more to stem what they charge is rampant graft within the administration.

Police arrested at least three protesters in the capital, Nairobi, when they broke up the demonstration. The group later reunited at another location and resumed the march.

Kenya is considered to be among the world's most corrupt countries, ranking 139 out of 168 countries in a 2015 index by Transparency International.</s>Nairobi (AFP) - Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta said Monday his country was seriously thinking of quitting the International Criminal Court, after several other African nations moved to pull out of the tribunal.

Kenyatta and his Vice President William Ruto were dragged before the court after deadly 2007-08 election violence left over 1,200 dead. However the charges were dropped in 2014 with ICC chief prosecutor Fatou Bensouda citing a "relentless" campaign of victim intimidation.

"Our experience at the ICC demonstrated a glaring lack of impartiality in this institution. Some have withdrawn. Others have considered that step. Twice, our parliament has passed motions to withdraw," Kenyatta said in a speech Monday.

"We have sought the changes that will align the ICC to respect for national sovereignty. Those changes have not been forthcoming. We will therefore need to give serious thought to our membership."

African nations have long felt they are unfairly targeted by The Hague-based court, and the current exodus began when Burundi in October voted to leave the ICC, after the court's prosecutor said she might open a case against the government.

South Africa and The Gambia quickly followed suit, raising fears of mass defections from the continent.

The tribunal opened in 2002 in The Hague as a court of last resort to try the world's worst crimes where national courts are unable or unwilling to act.

Currently nine out of the 10 ICC investigations are in African countries. The other is in Georgia.

However experts point out that many of the current investigations -- in the Central African Republic, Uganda, Mali and the Democratic Republic of Congo -- were referred to the ICC by the governments of those states.

Cases in Libya and the Sudanese region of Darfur were referred by the UN Security Council. Only in Kenya and Ivory Coast did the ICC's prosecutor initiate investigations.

Kenya was actually the first country to hold a vote to leave the court in 2013 with a symbolic motion in parliament which was never formalised.

Kenya's 2007 elections were marred by allegations of vote rigging, but what began as political riots quickly turned into ethnic killings and reprisal attacks, plunging Kenya into its worst wave of violence since independence in 1963.

Kenyatta and Ruto were fierce rivals in the 2007 vote, but teamed up in peaceful 2013 polls.</s>Nairobi — Kenya’s president on Monday criticised the International Criminal Court as “not impartial”, saying his government “will give serious thought” to its membership of the court.

In a speech during celebrations marking 53 years since Kenya became independent, President Uhuru Kenyatta said he believed he would win a second term next year despite what he called “divisive politicians, external powers, the ICC or paid protesters”.

Kenyatta was elected in 2013 as he and his running mate, William Ruto, faced criminal charges at the ICC over their alleged roles in post-election violence in 2007-2008.

The charges against Kenyatta were withdrawn in 2014 while the case against Ruto was terminated earlier this year.

“In our pursuit of a more stable and just order, we are champions of global institutions grounded in fairness and respect for national sovereignty,” Kenyatta said Monday.

“The Kenyan cases at the International Criminal Court have ended but the experience has given us cause to observe that this institution has become a tool of global power politics and not the justice it was built to dispense.”

He added: “We have started to see many more nations openly recognising that the ICC is not impartial. Some have withdrawn. Others have considered that step. Twice, our parliament has passed motions to withdraw. We have sought the changes that will align the ICC to respect national sovereignty. Those changes have not been forthcoming. We will therefore need to give serious thought to our membership.”

Meanwhile, Kenyan police fired tear gas on Monday to disperse a protest march against government corruption.

The march was part of a protest movement by activists who want the government to do more to stem what they charge is rampant graft within the administration.

Police arrested at least three protesters in the capital, Nairobi, when they broke up the demonstration. The group later reunited at another location and resumed the march.

Kenya is considered to be among the world’s most corrupt countries, ranking 139 out of 168 countries in a 2015 index by Transparency International.

African nations have long felt they are unfairly targeted by The Hague-based court, and the current exodus began when Burundi in October voted to leave the ICC, after the court’s prosecutor said she might open a case against the government.

South Africa and The Gambia quickly followed suit, raising fears of mass defections from the continent.

The tribunal opened in 2002 in The Hague as a court of last resort to try the world’s worst crimes where national courts are unable or unwilling to act.

Currently nine out of the 10 ICC investigations are in African countries. The other is in Georgia.

However experts point out that many of the current investigations — in the Central African Republic, Uganda, Mali and the Democratic Republic of Congo — were referred to the ICC by the governments of those states.

Cases in Libya and the Sudanese region of Darfur were referred by the UN Security Council. Only in Kenya and Cote d’Ivoire did the ICC’s prosecutor initiate investigations.

Kenya was actually the first country to hold a vote to leave the court in 2013 with a symbolic motion in parliament which was never formalised.

Kenya’s 2007 elections were marred by allegations of vote rigging, but what began as political riots quickly turned into ethnic killings and reprisal attacks, plunging Kenya into its worst wave of violence since independence in 1963.

Kenyatta and Ruto were fierce rivals in the 2007 vote, but teamed up in peaceful 2013 polls. — AFP
Kenya threatens to leave the International Criminal Court.