AU Backs Kenya's ICC Pull Out

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

The African Union has endorsed Kenya's bid to suspend trials of post poll violence perpetrators at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in the recently concluded continental summit.

With plans to forego its proceedings at the ICC, the country is seeking for local mechanism to deal with the six alleged masterminds of the post-election chaos who were identified by the ICC chief prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo in December.

The AU heads of state summit approved the decision and requested United Nations Security Council to accede to the Kenyan request to pull out of the Rome Statute.

Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki during his address to the leaders' summit said his government is preparing all necessary legal mechanism to implement the trials at home. He said the newly adopted country's constitution will boost efforts for peace, justice and reconciliation and prevent occurrence of such a conflict.

AU Commission chairman Jean Ping during his earlier speech at the summit accused the ICC Prosecutor of being biased. He expressed lack of court action in Gaza, Iraq and Burma, accusing him of double standards in targeting African states for trial at The Hague.

Ping said that the AU is considering establishment of a continental criminal court to prosecute leaders accused of grave political crimes.

The AU's endorsement follows a recent one by an East African regional development bloc IGAD late last month that expressed strong support for Kenya in deferring of the cases from the ICC.

Over 25 heads of state and government attended the two-day summit held in Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa that ended on late Monday night, whose main focus were political and security concern.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon arrived in Addis Ababa on Saturday to co-chair two special meetings on Ivory Coast and Sudan.

President of ICC's member states Christian Wenaweser during his visit to Nairobi, Kenya  warned against such a  course of action, which he termed would be more problematic, with a "number of legal and political pitfalls." he said the move would send a statement

President Mwai Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga formed a power-sharing government in february 2008 following a mediation process chaired by former UN secretary general Dr Kofi Annan after violent protest over disputed December 2007presidential polls.

 Over 1300 people died and over 650,000 left internally displaced during the two months of violence accustomed by tribal murders by supporters of the two candidates.

The newly formed Truth Justice and Reconciliation Commission (TJRC) to reconcile Kenyans and look into historical injustices has largely been criticized about its credibility owing to rejection of its head over his involvement in some of those injustices during his serve under the previous regime.

If the UN Security Council approves the decision, Kenya will be the third state from the US and Sudan to withdraw their signatures from the statute that became functional in July 2002. Kenya ratified the treaty in 2009 and as part of its obligation as a member state it is supposed to cooperate with the court in investigations and prosecutions.

Cairo, Egypt

Mubarak Promises to Step Down After Polls

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak has said he will not seek re-election in the country’s upcoming elections in September, amidst growing protests demanding his immediate submission of power.

In his Tuesday address on the state television Mubarak said he wanted to stay until his current term expires, where he pledged to carry out constitutional reforms. He said that he would devote his remaining time in power to ensure a peaceful transition of power to whoever the people of Egypt chooses in the next elections.

On Tuesday thousands of protesters held a million-strong march in the capital in a bid to force the 82 year-old president to give up power. Several protesters gathered in Cairo’s Tahrir Square for the “million man march” coordinated by the April 6 Movement aligned with leading opposition leader Mohamed ElBaradei.

 Mubarak said he was ready to meet all the opposition parties, but a coalition of opposition groups including ElBaradei and the powerful Muslim Brotherhood have pledged of no negotiation until Mubarak steps down.

 He said at the end of his speech that he would not live the country following calls from protesters to resign and leave the country.

 “This is my country. This is where I lived, I fought and defended its land, sovereignty and interests, and I will die on its soil,” he said.

ElBaradei told CNN news that he wants Mubarak to step down immediately and hand over power to a care taker government until elections can be held. He dismissed Mubarak’s announcement as a trick to stay in power.

Smaller protests were also witnessed in places like city of Suez, Alexandria and Ismaillia among others on the eighth day of demonstration. This is the largest ever resistance staged against Mubarak in his three decades of rule.

The Egyptian army said it will not use force on the protesters despite their heavy presence in the capital, a move welcomed by the US as a way to allow dignity and passion of the protesters.

 US President Barack Obama said the Egyptian transition must begin now and it should include opposition voices and lead to free and fair elections. He said that the US will continue to provide assistance and extend hand of partnership and friendship to the country.

Obama’s statement comes after he spoke to Mubarak for half an hour by telephone where he said he expects immediate, tangible actions from Mubarak.

 The wave of protests in the Arabic world was sparked in Tunisia following suicide of a university graduate in protest over oppression and corruption, spreading to other countries in the region, setting oil prices to go higher.

Abuja, Nigeria

President Goodluck to Seek Single Term

Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan said he will only run for one term in office if he wins the approaching April presidential elections.

 Jonathan unveiled his intention in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on Monday while attending African Union summit, but expressed his disappointment that Nigerians in the Diaspora would not be participating in this year’s exercise.

 Jonathan, the presidential candidate for the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) party is the most favourable candidate to win the April 9 presidential polls, but his candidacy is seen to impede the party’s power rotation plan between Muslim north and Christian south.

 Jonathan, a southerner assumed office after death of President Umaru Yar'Adua-a northerner-in May last year while he was on his first term. His take over was highly disputed by northern politicians who believed that a northerner should have completed Yar'Adua’s term. Under the party’s rule each region is supposed to hold power for only two terms.

 His trounce over ex-Vice-President Atiku Abubakar in party’s primary in January saw him be the party’s flag bearer which has won every election since the fall of military rule in 1999.

 The media team of Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN party-a contending party in the presidential race-has asked Nigerians to disregard President Jonathan’s promise of not seeking a second term if elected.

 They said that Jonathan could not be trusted because he had reneged on several earlier promises he had made, including reforming country’s damaged power sector and improve security situations.

 Congress for Progressive Change (CPC)’s Muhammadu Buhari a former military ruler and former anti-corruption campaigner Nuhu Ribadu of ACN party are seen to be Jonathan’s main challengers in the presidential race.

Jonathan is Nigeria’s first president from the oil-producing troubled Niger Delta state.