Kenya Kwanza leaders now threaten ICC action against Raila

A side by side image of Majority Leader in the National Assembly Kimani Ichungw’a and Opposition leader Raila Odinga

Majority Leader in the National Assembly Kimani Ichungw’ah has hinted at inviting the International Criminal Court (ICC) to monitor the opposition activities in Kenya.

Accusing Opposition leader Raila Odinga of using violence and anarchy to blackmail the government, Ichungw’ah says he will float the ICC agenda before the Kenya Kwanza parliamentary group meeting set to be held next week.

If adopted, Ichungw’ah says he will formally petition the Hague-based court to begin active monitoring of the Kenyan situation.

“We want to tell Raila, we have no problem with you demonstrating...but demonstrate peacefully. And that's why we are telling Raila Odinga, your system of looting, your system of anarchy, your system of using bloodshed to blackmail the country will come to an end and not next year, not after the next elections... This year, that system must come to an end,” said Ichung’wah.

He added: “Blackmail us, and we will tell you this is blackmail. If you want to create anarchy we will call it anarchy. And that is why I have said we will propose an agenda to our PG meeting next week that we write to the ICC to take measures to ensure that Raila Odinga and his sponsors do not slide our country back to anarchy.”

The majority leader claimed the opposition was hellbent on causing bloodshed, chaos, and destruction of property to force itself into government.

“If our PG agrees with us, we will write to ICC because it is now very clear that all Raila Odinga and his team want is to blackmail the country using violence, anarchy, looting, and bloodshed to get into the system of government,” said Ichung’wah who was flanked by Majority Whip in the National Assembly Slyvanus Osoro.

The Kenya Kwanza leaders have rejected calls by Odinga to expand the scope of the bipartisan talks that would see an end to the anti-government protests led by the opposition.

With Odinga calling for the expansion of talks to mirror the Koffi Annan-led National Dialogue of 2008 that led to the Grand Coalition Government, the leaders are adamant the talks will be conducted within the ambits of parliament as presented by the president.

The leaders said Kenya Kwanza was ready to submit the names of its members to spearhead the bipartisan talks.

“Bring the list of your people, we are ready for talks, and let's focus on the interests of all Kenyans not issues about positions of power,” said Ichung’wah.

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