Two Kenyans File Petition against Raila, Kalonzo at the International Criminal Court

Two Kenyans have lodged a petition at the International Criminal Court (ICC) against National Super Alliance (NASA) chiefs Raila Odinga and his running mate Kalonzo Musyoka.

The two, Martin Nkari and Kenneth Otieno want the Hague-based court to investigate the two opposition leaders for what they termed as “inflammatory conduct” and other crimes.

Nkari and Otieno are secretary and chairman of the International Policy Group (IPG), respectively and have jointly hired the services of a Canadian law firm to petition ICC Chief Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda to launch probe on Raila and Kalonzo on grounds of violence being witnessed in anti-IEBC demonstrations called by the opposition.

"On Friday, an intentionally recognised Canadian law firm, Watson Jacobs McCreary LLP, submitted papers to the court and they were formally received by Ms Patricia Castro, and then onto the Prosecutor’s office," reports the Standard.

An official at the Netherlands-based court confirmed to the Standard that it received the petition in an email sent on Friday at 4:41pm. The petition has been registered under OTP-CR-322/17.

The petitioners cite “ethnic violence, mobilisation and profiling, rape, sexual and gender-based crimes, targeted aggression, violent utterances and constant call to violent demonstrations and call to arms” as the grounds of their petition.

“If the prevailing volatile situation in Kenya does not get urgent attention and action from the ICC, we apprehend mass atrocities, ethnic profiling, violent ethnic mobilisation, mass displacement of persons, destruction of property, rape, sexual and gender-based crimes and complete breakdown in law and order in the period leading to the October 26 2017 election, during the election, and after the election,” their petition signed October 9, 2017, reads in part.

They have filed video clips and newspaper cuttings to support their plea.