Nairobi — Kenyans now expect President Uhuru Kenyatta to focus on executing the mandate the electorate bestowed on him without distractions after the International Criminal Court Prosecutor dropped charges against him.
Those who spoke to Capital FM News said President Kenyatta should now concentrate on implementing the Jubilee manifesto.
“It’s a long overdue thing; they lacked respect to Africa by not all letting us handle matters on our own. I have for long waited for the decision and I saw it coming anyway,” a visibly jovial Mary Wambui said.
“The violence was not upto him. It was about the person who refused to accept the election outcome.”
Another said: “The case was not even there… it was about the Europeans plan to control our country because of the great natural resources we have.”
“It’s a huge burden off his shoulders, now he can work a free man,” another only identified as Gerald stated.
Others also called for withdrawal of the case against Deputy President William Ruto and former broadcaster Joshua Sang saying Kenyans should be given a chance to learn from their mistake and reconcile.
“Now that the ICC has decided to drop the case, it should also follow suit and set our Deputy President and Joshua Sang free,” Gabriel Mayeye a city resident said.
“We should be given a chance to unite and solve our own problems.”
Another pointed out that “the country should develop a local mechanism to bring to book those who fuelled the violence. Let the ICC court also set free our brothers (the Deputy President and Joshua Sang).”
Some however felt that families of the over 1,000 victims killed during 2007-2008 post election violence and those displaced may not have justice if the court will not prosecute any of the suspects.
“The case has been there all along… there was evidence but the court just decided to withdraw,” John Magara a city resident argued.
“The court wants to assume there were no killings, no property was destroyed and people were not displaced.”
Other felt that the prosecution let the victims down for failing to undertake a thorough investigation which has led to the withdrawal of the case.
“ICC should tell us who committed the crimes that we witnessed in 2007. We know there is a case. You cannot say people did not fight,” another only identified as Odhiambo said.
Bensouda had explained that “the evidence has not improved to such an extent that Mr Kenyatta’s alleged criminal responsibility can be proven beyond reasonable doubt.”
READ Bensouda drops President Kenyatta’s ICC case
She said for this reason – and in light of the Trial Chamber’s rejection of the Prosecution’s request for an adjournment until the Government of Kenya complies with its cooperation obligations under the Rome Statute – prosecutors had no option but to withdraw the charges.
President Kenyatta was the sole accused person in Kenya Case II after charges against his two co-accused were withdrawn.
The case against former Police Commissioner Hussein Ali was dropped at the confirmation of charges hearings, while that facing former Head of Civil Service Francis Muthaura was dropped at the post-confirmation stage after the only witness the prosecution had relied on to confirm his charges said he had lied to the court.
-Capital FM
