Sudanes President Bashir to skip Kenya president inauguration

Sudan President Omar al-Bashir will skip Tuesday’s inauguration of Uhuru Kenyatta as Kenya's fourth Head of State.

This comes as a section of lawyers petitioned Attorney-General Githu Muigai to arrest and hand over President Bashir to The Hague in case he comes to Nairobi

Government spokesman Muthui Kariuki said the Sudan President had indicated that he would not attend the occasion in spite of being among the 54 Heads of State who were invited.

“President Bashir, like all other African presidents, was invited. However, I can confirm that he will not be attending,” he said.

The Kenya Chapter of the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ Kenya) warned that the country would be failing in its duties as a member state of the treaty establishing the International Criminal Court (ICC) if it allowed President Bashir, an indictee of The Hague, safe entry and exit.

In addition to the two warrants issued by the ICC, lawyers Wilfred Nderitu and Elias Mwenda reminded Prof Muigai that the High Court issued a provisional warrant compelling the government to arrest the Sudan President any time he sets foot on Kenya’s soil.

“As a State Party to the Rome Statute establishing the ICC,  Kenya is under an obligation to enforce the warrants by arresting and surrendering President Bashir to the ICC if he enters Kenyan territory,” they said in their petition. Source/NMG