Museveni to ICC: We are on same side
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President Museveni shakes hands with ICC Chief Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda
at the President’s country home in Rwakitura. PPU PHOTO.
By FREDERIC MUSISI
Posted Wednesday, March 4 2015 at 02:00
Posted Wednesday, March 4 2015 at 02:00
Kampala. President Museveni has
said he is still on the same side with The Hague-based International
Criminal Court (ICC) notwithstanding his .misgivings.
“Despite our
differences, we are on the same side,” Mr Museveni told ICC Chief
Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda on Monday night, according to a statement
issued by State House. The ICC Chief Prosecutor has just concluded a
five-day tour of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) war-affected areas in
northern and eastern Uganda.
“We had to hand over Dominic Ongwen because he was arrested from a different country and had committed crimes across several countries. If he was arrested in Uganda, we would have charged him here,” the President said.
The remarks come less than three months after the President; while speaking at Kenya’s 51st Independence Day in Nairobi last year, said he was “done” with the court.
President Museveni, accused the court of being a tool of Western powers to witch-hunt African leaders. The court handles major war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity, for which a couple of African leaders have been indicted.
“People of the West should leave their foolishness. I am done with the ICC,” the President told a cheering crowd at Nyayo Stadium in Nairobi.
However, in Monday’s meeting, the President further stressed that Uganda will cooperate with the court and avail it all the necessary information and access to witnesses that it may need.
“We had to hand over Dominic Ongwen because he was arrested from a different country and had committed crimes across several countries. If he was arrested in Uganda, we would have charged him here,” the President said.
The remarks come less than three months after the President; while speaking at Kenya’s 51st Independence Day in Nairobi last year, said he was “done” with the court.
President Museveni, accused the court of being a tool of Western powers to witch-hunt African leaders. The court handles major war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity, for which a couple of African leaders have been indicted.
“People of the West should leave their foolishness. I am done with the ICC,” the President told a cheering crowd at Nyayo Stadium in Nairobi.
However, in Monday’s meeting, the President further stressed that Uganda will cooperate with the court and avail it all the necessary information and access to witnesses that it may need.
