By Justice Hub
In late December 2007, violence broke out in Kenya following a disputed election. The exit polls indicated that Raila Odinga of the Orange Democratic Movement had won the poll, but the incumbent president, Mwai Kibaki, of the Party of National Unity was declared the winner. Amid allegations of electoral manipulation, Kenya descended into widespread violence. Over 1100 people were killed and more than 600,000 were displaced in a two-month period.
In February 2008, the new Kenyan government established a commission to investigate the post-election violence. The Waki Commission compiled a detailed report and handed it over to former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan. Because of the government’s failure to act on the report, Annan referred the case to the International Criminal Court. The Office of the Prosecutor decided to launch a proprio motu investigation.
Deputy President William Ruto and journalist Joshua arap Sang are now on trial at the ICC. They are charged with murder, deportation and persecution. President Uhuru Kenyatta also faced trial at the ICC, but the charges against him were withdrawn in late 2014. Three other men – Walter Barasa, Philip Kipkoech Bett and Paul Gichera – are suspected of offences against the administration of justice, consisting in corruptly influencing prosecution witness.
This is part of a series of long-form infocomics about the situations that the ICC is dealing with:
- Why is DRC situation at the ICC?
- Why is CAR I situation at the ICC?
- Why is CAR II situation at the ICC?
- Why is the Mali situation at the ICC?
- Why is the Uganda situation at the ICC?
- Why is the Darfur situation at the ICC?
The long-form infocomics are made by Italian journalist and cartoonist Emanuele del Rosso.
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