Press Statement: 9^th September, 2013.

Nigeria Coalition for the International Criminal Court (NCICC) condemns the decision of the Kenyan Parliament to withdraw as a member of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Members of Parliament passeda motion to introduce a bill within the next 30 days to withdraw from the ICC Rome Statute. The motion was brought by the Jubilee alliance—a coalition of political parties supporting Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta and Deputy President William Ruto – which argues that the ICC cases against the two, along with journalist Joshua Sang, are politically motivated. This comes as the trial of the Kenyan deputy president, Williams Ruto, is set to open before the ICC in The Hague, on atrocities committed during Kenya’s 2008 post-election violence, scheduled to start on the 9^th of September, 2013.

This act by the Kenyan government is a move to protect government officials involved in committing atrocities against its citizens who suffered from post-election violence in 2008 and are awaiting justice.

Kenya will be the first state party to leave the ICC and this will be a setback for the ICC in the fight against impunity in Africa. ICC Prosecutor has said that this will not affect the upcoming trials of the Kenyan President, Uhuru Kenyatta and Deputy President William Ruto “as justice must run its course”.

NCICC strongly condemns this action and sees it as an act by the Kenyan government to promote impunity by protecting the president and deputy president who are alleged to be involved in committing atrocities against its citizens. NCICC also approves the decision of the ICC to continue with the trials against the Kenyan President and the Deputy President despite the withdrawal.

Chino Obiagwu, Chair Steering committee of NCICC

Dr Abiola Akiyode, Vice Chair NCICC

Oby Nwankwo, Treasurer NCICC