In the News : the Constitution and the ICC
on A Serendipitous Journey (Kenya), 11/May/2010 07:11, 34 days ago
This week reporters in Kenya are having a hay day, between the release of the draft constitution and the visit by International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo. Here is why they are making headlines:The Constitution:The new Constitution has been in the making for nearly 20 years and the new draft Constitution was released last Thursday.The 2 most controversial clauses may be the right for a woman to have an abortion should her life be deemed in danger and Kadhis Courts, however others include articles regarding land, executive powers, devolution and representation.A national referendum will be taking place no later than Aug 6, 2010, for which approximately 13 million voters have registered. The‘committee of experts’ now has 30 days to conduct civic education and following the 30-day period politicians will have the opportunity to campaign. With a population of more than 37 million and more than 47 different languages spoken, the communication challenges are many! Should the constitution be passed, President Kibaki will have 14 days to promulgate it.International Criminal Court Investigations into Post-Election Violence:This weekend, ICC prosecutor Louis Moreno-Ocampo heard representative stories from friends and relatives of the more than 1,000 Kenyans who lost their lives in post-election violence in early 2008, as well as first-hand accounts of those who suffered injuries, lost property or were run out of their homes. He also offered an audience to prominent business people and politicians who feared they might be on the list of the 20+ top suspects handed over to the ICC. After the meetings Ocampo declared that he expects to finalize investigations and ask for arrest warrants for the instigators of the violence within 6-7 months. He says the ICC will be targeting 5 or 6 key suspects who bore the greatest responsibility in instigating and perpetuating the violence. Many hope that the prosecution of such top officials will help prevent future unrest and bring some closure to those who lost loved ones, those who were harmed and those who lost their homes and property in the violence.