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The Kenyan government’s obstruction of the ICC and intimidation of witnesses fatally undermined the Kenyatta prosecution.
nation.co.ke
By SUNDAY NATION REPORTER
By THE PRESIDENCY |
| President Uhuru Kenyatta said the security law will improve the country's ability to avert terror attacks. (Photo:PSCU) |
Nairobi: President Uhuru Kenyatta today signed into law the Security Laws (Amendment) Bill 2014, which provides a firm framework for the fight against terrorism.
Speaking during a televised address to the nation shortly after signing the Bill into law at State House, Nairobi, the President said the amendments do not go against the Bill of Rights or any other provision of the Constitution.
Uhuru called on Kenyans to read the new law for themselves instead of depending on interpretations that mislead them.
“I am confident that you will find that there is nothing in this law that goes against the Bill of Rights or any provision of the constitution. Its intent is one; to protect the lives and property of all citizens,” said the President.
The President criticized Members of Parliament saying their deplorable behavior in Parliament Tursday, denied Kenyans the opportunity to follow the proceedings of Parliament.
He said those who disrupted the smooth operation of Parliament were oblivious to the threat that is upon the country.
The President said the new law improves the capacity of the security agencies to detect, deter and disrupt threats to national security.
“For the first time, we now have a law that focuses on prevention and disruption of threats. Further, the law allows for the use of technology in processing and advancing the ability for successful prosecution of suspects,” said the President.
The new law establishes an institutional framework for the counter- terrorism war and will create synergy between the different security agencies by creating clear command structures.
“This synergy is cascaded from the highest level to the lowest level through the national Government security structures,” he said.
The President said the law also raises the threshold for public and state officers who are charged with the responsibility of protecting Kenya and its people.
The raised threshold was necessary because of the lack of integrity and its role in compromising national security, the President said.
“The law provides for heavy penalties for any transgression,” he said.
Uhuru said the Government has also set in motion reforms to rectify command and control problems in the security sector.
“We have also commenced wide-scale administrative and operational reforms that align command and control, improve doctrine and modalities of work and improve operational effectiveness on the ground,” said the President.
Uhuru said the new law was just one of the many measures that need to be put in place in order to guarantee security.
“We must remember that we are still at war and still vulnerable to terror attacks. I therefore call upon each one of us to remain vigilant and share any information that would aid in securing our country with relevant authorities,” the President said.
He wished peace and prosperity for all Kenyans during the festive season.
Deputy President William Ruto was present during the signing ceremony of the Bill and was also with the President during the live address.
The Bill was presented to the President for his signature by the Speaker of the National Assembly Justin Muturi who was accompanied by the Clerk, Justin Bundi.
Also present were Leader of Majority Aden Duale, Chief of Staff and Head of Public Service Joseph Kinyua, Internal Security Principal Secretary Dr Monica Juma, Solicitor-General Njee Muturi, Members of Parliament Ndung’u Gethenji (Tetu) and Elias Bare Shill (Fafi).
Mr Gethenji is the chairman of Parliament’s Defence and Foreign Relations Committee while Mr Shill is the vice chairman.
A mum has been charged with two counts of murder after the remains of three babies were found in the filthy, vermin-infested home she shared with her boyfriend.
Erika Murray, 31, was initially charged with foetal death concealment, witness intimidation and permitting substantial injury to a child.
Her boyfriend, Ray Rivera, is charged with offences including assault and battery on a child and reckless endangerment of a child.
Prosecutors described the horrific conditions that four children - aged from six months to 13 years - were found alive in at the house.
Authorities said there were piles of dirty diapers, rubbish strewn everywhere, and remains of dead animals.
The children were removed from the address in August after a 10-year-old boy went to a neighbour's house, and asked for help in quieting a crying baby.
The neighbour allegedly discovered a severely neglected six-month-old baby covered in excrement, and a three-year-old child.
After the older children were interviewed, police searched the house in Massachusetts, where they discovered the remains of three babies, MyFoxBoston reports.
Charges have been brought for the murder of two of the babies - one who was wearing a onesie, and the other who was in a diaper.
It is believed that that third dead infant still had its placenta attached, and Murray has therefore not been charged with its murder.
She is being held on $1million bail after pleading not guilty to the offences she was first charged with. Murray is yet to enter pleas to the murder charge.
The prosecutor said in court that DNA proves Rivera is also the father of all seven children that lived in the home, and quoted a paediatrician as saying this was worst case of extreme neglect she has ever seen.
The judge set bail for Rivera at $100,000 - he denies all the charges against him.
The house that the couple shared was condemned and has since been demolished.
A determined government side on Thursday forced through the controversial Security Laws (Amendment) Bill past the third and final reading beating the strict timelines allocated for the business.
Only the amendments proposed by the Committee on Administration and National Security and those by the Justice and Legal Affairs Committee were passed albeit in a shouting match pitting the two coalitions.
Speaker Justin Muturi had to conduct business sandwiched in ring comprising Jubilee Coalition MPs and parliamentary orderlies. Even though he used a microphone, his voice was at times submerged by the cacophony of shouts, screams and giggles from the CORD Mps who had tried every trick to disrupt the business since morning.
Muturi was called in to take the House through the Committee of the Whole House after it became apparent that Deputy Speaker Joyce Laboso was not able to conduct the chaotic session.
With the passing of the Bill, President Uhuru Kenyatta will now be free to appoint the new Inspector General of Police and forwarded the name to the National Assembly for Approval. The Bill had proposed that the president nominate a candidate for the position surpassing the input of the National Police Service Commission.
The Samuel Chepkonga led Justice and Legal committee, had proposed that the National Police Service Act amended to have the Inspector General serve for a term of four years but may be removed before expiry of his term subject to the provisions of the Constitution.
Robert Mwaniki at his home
Death sentence for two Githurai bus crew (NAZIGI SACCO) who stripped and sexually assaulted a woman THE CREW OF A NAZIGI SACCO GITHURAI BUS WHO STRIPPED AND SEXUALLY ASSAULTED A WOMAN ARE NOW STARING AT A DEATH SENTENCE OR A VERY STIFF PENALTY
ASP update: "something very sinister on the part of the executive in Kenya"
The Star
Uganda President Yoweri Museveni addresses Kenyans during the Jamhuri Day celebrations in Nairobi.By People Correspondent @PeopleDailyKe
Deputy President William Ruto’s lawyer Karim Khan has used the prosecution’s evidence to demonstrate to the International Criminal Court (ICC) judges that the 27th witness had lied to the court that he had taken the body of person number 10 to the mortuary.
According to the death certificate in possession of the Office of the Prosecutor, the person died on December 31, 2007 at the Moi Referral Hospital, while the witness claimed he took the body to the mortuary a day earlier. “Are you aware that person died on 31st December?
He was admitted at a particular ward for treatment at Moi Referral Hospital but tragically the person did not survive, he died at the hospital, and that is what the prosecution’s document – the certificate of death – shows,” Khan explained.
But the witness insisted that he saw the person’s body lying in a pool of blood on December 30, 2007 and in fact took it to the mortuary. The witness during his earlier testimony told the ICC judges that the person’s body had machete cuts on the face.
The witness told the court that on December 31, he was at a café near a fund-raising event in Ziwa in Eldoret where funds were raised to sponsor the 2007 attacks in the Rift Valley.
According to the witness, during the harambee that lasted for about 20 minutes, Jackson Kibor announced that Ruto had sent a contribution of Sh200,000.
The cross-examination ended yesterday the status conference today. The conference is expected to provide a road map of the next sessions of the trial. Presiding Judge Chile Eboe-Osuji earlier said the prosecution will be required to close its case in early 2015.
This will pave way for the defence teams of Ruto to decide if they will file a motion of no-case-to-answer or prepare a defence case to challenge the prosecution’s evidence.
Meanwhile, the Government of Kenya has been invited to make submissions by December 22 regarding the prosecutor’s leave to appeal the Trial Chamber V (b)’s decision not to refer Kenya to the Assembly of State Parties for non-cooperation.
Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda wants to be allowed to appeal so that Kenya can be reported to the ASP for failing to cooperate with her office in submission of documents required in the case against President Uhuru Kenyatta.
Around 100 cars were stuck on a road at the border of England and Scotland due to heavy snow this morning - and more is on the way.
The A68 at Carter Bar in Northumberland became blocked in both directions in the early hours as Arctic conditions moved in.
Volunteers from Tweed Valley Mountain Rescue Team joined police with helping dozens of stranded drivers and clearing the road.
A spokesman told the BBC: "There were about 70 vehicles stuck south of the border and another 30 on the Scottish side.
"The snow was only four or five inches deep, but it was the speed at which it fell that took everyone by surprise."
Commuters should expect travel disruption as bad weather brings sleet and up to four inches of snow on higher ground.
The Met Office said Aviemore in Scotland has recorded the most amount of snow, where 13 cms has fallen so far.
Gale-force winds of up to 70mph will continue to batter the country, bringing down power lines and trees.
The Met Office said in a statement: "A cold, showery westerly airstream will stay in place across northern Britain, with a continued threat of travel disruption and difficult driving conditions due to both snow and ice.
"Whilst winds remain strong, with gales and local severe gales in places at first, they will continue to decrease slowly."
