ICC A Regime Change Tool

East African Community (EAC) presidents Paul Kagame of Rwanda, Jakaya Kikwete of Tanzania, Yoweri Museveni of Uganda and Mwai Kibaki of Kenya. The EAC is expected to reject Somalia and South Sudan as members., a photo by Pan-African News Wire File Photos on Flickr.

ICC a regime change tool - Museveni

Thursday, 11 April 2013 00:00
Takunda Maodza recently in KENYA
Zimbabwe Herald

UGANDA President Yoweri Museveni has slammed the abuse of the International Criminal Court by Western nations saying the institution was being used as a regime change tool in Africa.

President Museveni made the remarks on Tuesday during the swearing-in ceremony of Uhuru Kenyatta as Kenya’s fourth President at a ceremony held at the Moi International Sports Centre in Nairobi.

The colourful event was attended by several African Heads of State and Government including President Mugabe.

President Kenyatta, who faces charges of crimes against humanity , is set to appear at the ICC on July 9 and May 28, respectively. Charges against his deputy Mr William Samoei Ruto were withdrawn.

Addressing over 60 000 Kenyans who attended the swearing-in ceremony, President Museveni said: “I want to salute the Kenyan voters on one other issue, the rejection of the blackmail by the ICC and those who seek to abuse this institution for their own agenda. I was one of those who supported the ICC because I oppose impunity. However, the usual opinionated and arrogant actors using their careless and shallow analysis have now distorted the focus of that institution. They are now using it to install leaders of their choice in Africa and eliminate the ones they do not like.”

President Museveni condemned the violence that engulfed Kenya in 2007 but said the solution rested with Kenyans not outsiders.

“The ICC cannot address those events.
Events like those need ideological solution. Instead of a thorough and faithful process, we have got individuals engaging in legal gymnastics in far off lands,” he said.

President Museveni said Uganda experienced violence which claimed about 800 000 people but the matter was resolved internally.

“In Uganda’s case between 1966 and 1986 we lost about 800 000 people killed by the leadership that was in charge of that country. How did we handle that sad history? Have you ever heard us asking the ICC or United Nations to come and help us deal with that sad chapter of our history?” he said.

Uhuru sworn in as Kenyan president
President Museveni said Joseph Kony was facing charges at ICC because he operated outside Uganda adding “otherwise we would have handled him ourselves”.

Kony, the leader of the Lord’s Resistance Army, is wanted by the ICC on allegations of crimes against humanity. He is believed to be hiding in the Central African Republic. The US administration has offered US$5 million to anyone with information leading to his arrest.

He said Kenyan authorities must learn from how Uganda managed its incidents of violence.

“Equally, Kenyan actors are the ones best qualified to sit and deal with their history in order to discover the ideological stimuli the Kenyan society needs. I therefore use this opportunity to salute Kenyan voters for rejecting that blackmail and upholding the sovereignty of the people of Kenya,” President Museveni said.

Over 1 200 people died in clashes after a disputed poll in Kenya five years ago leading to the formation of a coalition government that included opposition leader Mr Raila Odinga.

However, prior to the recent Kenyan polls the US Assistant Secretary for African Affairs Mr Jonnie Carson, tried to influence poll results by threatening Kenyans with some “consequences” if they voted for Uhuru Kenyatta as president.

However, the Kenyans did not pay heed to that and proceeded to vote for the candidate of their choice.