- The body seeks Mount Kenya University to recall the honorary doctorate awarded to ICC Chief Prosecutor
- They vowed to write to ICC Presidency demanding Khan to step aside from Kenya’s cases over his impartiality questionability
- Both Chairperson and Secretary General vowed to move to High Court to demand Kenyan government compensate all victims of recent police brutality
Operation Linda Ugatuzi have now threatened to mobilise public to boycott Mount Kenya University should they not recall honorary doctorate awarded to International Criminal Court [ICC] Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan
Speaking to journalists on Monday 7th July, OLU Chairperson Prof Fred Ogola, warned that they are also moving to court to compel government to compensate all victims of recent police brutality during anti-government protests
“As Members of the Linda Jamii, express our profound concern regarding the recent visit to Kenya by Chief International Criminal Court Prosecutor Karim Khan. We urge all seeking justice from the ICC to consider boycotting Khan’s public lectures and events during his questionable visit to Kenya so as to express their legitimate concerns.
While the University which bestowed him an honorary doctorate may have it’s own reasons for doing so, we strongly believe that his visit to Kenya came at the wrong time and that it could compromise the ongoing investigations into police brutality and human rights abuses committed by several state officials,” Ogola stated
The lobby group further said they will lobby the ICC presidency that elects the ICC prosecutor to consider asking Mr Khan to stand aside as the prosecutor in Kenya since his previous relationship with Kenyan cases takes away his impartiality
“We want to tell Kenyans not to be threatened by Karim Khan’s visit to Kenya as he is the head of the office of the Prosecutor, which is equivalent to office of the Director of the Public Prosecutions, we have the Presidency and the Register of the court that will take their cases seriously,” Part of the statement read.
They questioned Khan’s association with the President Ruto in the 2007/2008 post election violence cases at the Hague, adding that it raises troubling questions about his impartiality and also putting the respected courts reputation into jeopardy
“Over the years, he has been aligned with powerful individuals accused of human rights abuses, thereby leaving victims to question his dedication to justice and accountability.
It is with those reservations that we call upon the ICC to not only advise Khan against being perceived to meddling in Kenyan affairs as he represents the office of the Prosecutor but also issue an apology to the Kenyan people especially the both victims of the 2007/8 post election violence and also for the victims of 2022/2023 post election police brutality termed as `Domestic Terrorists” by the current President Ruto’s Administration,” OLU stated
They observed that Khan’s presence could be utilized to shield the Kenyan government from accountability for it’s alleged involvement in human rights violations. “The victims of police brutality in Kenya deserve an unbiased and transparent process to seek justice as they can’t afford any compromise in that pursuit,” They remarked
The body also noted that they will stand in solidarity with Kenyans who have been victims of police brutality as they move in speed to present a joint petition to the High Court seeking prayers from the court to demand that the government compensates all who were disrupted since insurance companies have declined compensation placeholders
“The lives, health and businesses were disrupted since the police did not protect their lives and property as their constitutional rights remained illegally illegalized by State,” Secretary General Calystus Wafula noted