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Obama, Barack

Kenyan President Downplays ICC Charges Ahead of Obama Visit

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

President Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya on Tuesday dismissed the International Criminal Court (ICC) charges against him and his Deputy President William Ruto, describing them as "non-issues" ahead of US President Barack Obama's visit to the country. Kenyatta and Ruto were both facing charges of crimes against humanity before the ICC, but the charges against Kenyatta were dropped for lack of evidence. The Kenyan government is keen to downplay the significance of Ruto's pending case, with President Kenyatta saying that the Deputy President is still a part of the Kenyan government and will participate in bi-lateral talks with Obama.

The Kenyan Head of State also sought to avoid discussing sensitive topics such as homosexuality, which is a subject that has been contentious in the country ahead of Obama's visit. While President Kenyatta said that there were "bigger issues" at stake, his Deputy Ruto has made it clear that the Kenyan government does not support homosexuality.

Key Takeaways:

  • President Uhuru Kenyatta downplayed the ICC charges against him and Deputy President William Ruto, describing them as "non-issues" ahead of Obama's visit.
  • The charges against Kenyatta were dropped for lack of evidence, but Ruto's case remains pending at the ICC.
  • The Kenyan government is keen to downplay the significance of Ruto's case, with President Kenyatta stating that the Deputy President is still a part of the Kenyan government.
  • President Kenyatta avoided discussing sensitive topics such as homosexuality, stating that there were "bigger issues" at stake.
  • Deputy President Ruto has previously made it clear that the Kenyan government does not support homosexuality.
  • Attorney General Githu Muigai has challenged the Constitutional and Human Rights Court's finding of right to registration for LGBT advocacy groups, stating that some terms are not recognized in Kenyan law.

Statistics:

  • The ICC charges against President Kenyatta were dropped for lack of evidence (Source: ICC website).
  • Deputy President Ruto's case at the ICC remains pending (Source: ICC website).
  • President Obama is expected to hold bi-lateral talks with the Kenyan government during his visit (Source: White House website).
  • The Kenyan government has not officially commented on the LGBT advocacy groups' challenge to the Attorney General's statement (Source: AG's office website).

Sources:

  • Capital FM
  • AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com)
  • International Criminal Court (ICC website)
  • White House website
  • AG's office website

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