Controversial Pastor Sempa to face ICC
The pro-gay lobby has reportedly
petitioned the International Criminal Court to investigate four Ugandans for
allegedly persecuting anti-gay activists. According to Makerere Community
Church pastor Martin Sempa, he is wanted alongside state minster of ethics and integrity Simon Lokodo, former line
minister Dr. Nsaba Buturo, and Ndorwa West MP David Bahati. Sempa says he
learnt of the moves against them from a pro-gay online news website Gay Star
News.
Makerere Community Church pastor Martin Sempa who addressed
journalists at the Parliamentary buildings claimed that he was living in fear
of arrest.
Sempa, who quoted a recent story in the online pro-gay news
website GAY STAR NEWS, says the international court could also be after Ndorwa
West MP David Bahati, state minister of ethics and integrity Simon Lokodo and former
line Minister Dr. Nsaba Buturo. MP Bahati is the architect of the controversial
anti-homosexuality bill, which he tabled as a private member in 2009. The bill
that is yet to be passed has met stiff opposition from western countries; many
of them are critical donors to Uganda.
Pastor Sempa, Lokodo and Dr. Buturo are some of the leading
campaigners against homosexuality.
A gay rights activist Norman Magembe reportedly filed a
complaint calling for the investigation of these Ugandans for human rights
violations. But they told NBS TV that they will not be intimidated and will
press on with fighting homosexuality, which they say is immoral threatens the
family.
One of the most contentious clauses in the Anti-homosexuality
bill was the death penalty for aggravated homosexuality that involves violating
minors. But the provision was later dropped as a concession to allow greater
acceptability of the bill that has since been shelved. Speaker Rebecca Kadaga had
said in 2012 that Parliament would pass the bill as a Christmas gift to
Ugandans.
Uganda leads Africa’s move to quit international court
Presidet Museveni (in hat) and President Kenyatta (3rd R) hand over a
cerificate to 6-year-old Hassan for being one of the best performers in
the 2013 Mombasa International show. Mr Museveni wants Africa to quit
the ICC over the way the court has handled The Kenyan leaders’ case. PPU
PHOTO
By TABU BUTAGIRA
Posted Saturday, October 12 2013 at 01:00
Posted Saturday, October 12 2013 at 01:00
Uganda has admitted rallying African countries
to collectively withdraw from the International Criminal Court, citing
the court’s “selective justice” administration and the West’s
patronising attitude.
According to state minister for International
Affairs Okello-Oryem, the ICC failure to treat elected African leaders
with respect became an “irritant”, engineering a “very strong momentum
toward total withdrawal” from the international court.
“This is because of selective justice and
arrogance of members of the court not to take into consideration matters
of justice vis-à-vis the potential to cause chaos in a country [while
dispensing cases],” he said on Thursday.
The Hague-based ICC was established under the 1998
Rome Statute in 2008 to try cases of war crimes, crimes against
humanity and genocide, which are considered borderless offences.
African leaders are due to meet in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, today to determine whether or not to pull out of ICC altogether.
African leaders are due to meet in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, today to determine whether or not to pull out of ICC altogether.
African Union chairperson, Ms Dlamini-Zuma, has
separately written to the President of the UN Security Council, urging
it to defer the trial of Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy
William Ruto at the ICC in the wake of last month’s terrorist attack in
Nairobi.
On Thursday, the London-headquartered rights
group, Amnesty International, condemned the diplomatic tinkering that
could result in indicted African leaders getting off the hook.
“A resolution calling on African states to
withdraw en bloc from the Rome Statute would be reactionary in the
extreme,” said Mr Tawanda Hondora, the organisation’s Deputy Director of
Law and Policy.
“Such a resolution would serve no purpose except to shield from justice, and to give succour to people suspected of committing some of the worst crimes known to humanity,” he reasoned.
“Such a resolution would serve no purpose except to shield from justice, and to give succour to people suspected of committing some of the worst crimes known to humanity,” he reasoned.
In yesterday’s interview, Mr Okello-Oryem said
they were disturbed that the ICC declined Kenya’s request for Mr Ruto to
return home to allow President Kenyatta attend and deliver his maiden
address to the UN General Assembly (UNGA) last month. The refusal, he
said, happened while ICC was aware Kenya’s Constitution does not allow
the two principals to be out of the country at the same time.
Museveni’s views
President Museveni told the 68th UNGA in New York that ICC officials, by ignoring views of African leaders, were “biased and shallow” in handling complex African issues.
President Museveni told the 68th UNGA in New York that ICC officials, by ignoring views of African leaders, were “biased and shallow” in handling complex African issues.
In June, this year, the AU passed a
Uganda-sponsored resolution against the ICC and demanded that the trial
of Kenyatta and Ruto be reverted to Kenya since the country now has a
credible and competent judiciary.
Asked if President Museveni has developed the
anti-ICC rhetoric fearing he could be candidate for trial in future, Mr
Oryem said: “No, no, no…there’s nothing like that. Those saying so are
jokers.” In response to a question from this newspaper in 2011 on
whether he was afraid he could be prosecuted in future over civilian
deaths in the hands of his government security forces in various public
protests, Mr Museveni said he instead expected to win the Nobel Peace
Prize for “managing the country very well, particularly the army and the
economy.”
THE case for withdrawal
Uganda and Rwanda have reportedly spearheaded and galvanised African leaders to accept exiting the Rome Statute, which, if executed, would render the ICC lean on membership and weak. Kampala and Kigali flag the “mishandled” case of Kenya’s leaders as basis to quit amid concerns Presidents Museveni and Kagame might be motivated by other considerations..
Uganda and Rwanda have reportedly spearheaded and galvanised African leaders to accept exiting the Rome Statute, which, if executed, would render the ICC lean on membership and weak. Kampala and Kigali flag the “mishandled” case of Kenya’s leaders as basis to quit amid concerns Presidents Museveni and Kagame might be motivated by other considerations..
