The United States president Barack Obama and the European Union (EU) today criticized the decision of the Kenyan government to receive Sudanese president Omer Hassan Al-Bashir who is wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for war crimes and genocide he allegedly masterminded in Darfur during the seven years conflict.
The U.S. president released a statement on Friday congratulating Kenya on the new constitution but directed criticism at it for allowing Bashir to attend, Sudan Tribune website reported. President Obama mentioned that the Government of Kenya committed itself to full cooperation with the ICC, and US considers it important that Kenya honors its commitments to the ICC and to international justice, along with all nations that share those responsibilities.
President Bashir returned from Nairobi after a short visit where he attended the ceremony of signing Kenya’s new constitution. The Kenyan government kept the visit under tight wraps and foreign ministry attendees list included only the First Vice President of Sudan and the president of South Sudan Salva Kiir. The presence of the Sudanese president took many by surprise including members of the Kenyan government.
The Deputy Defence Minister David Musila said Kenya had “brought shame to itself” adding that president Bashir should be “arrested immediately and handed to the ICC.” Musila was quoted by ‘The Standard’ newspaper as saying that Kenya “has suffered irreparable damage internationally” adding that it was incomprehensible for Kenya which he said was emerging from impunity with a new constitution “to allow Bashir to attend our ceremony.”