Last week on Wednesday, the unfathomable happened: President Uhuru Kenyatta personally attended his ICC status conference. Under similar circumstances, most nations would hang their heads in shame, but the Kenyan supporters who accompanied the president were in celebratory mood. Tumefika! (We have arrived!) At 9:30 in the morning Dutch time, pomp and colour engulfed the front entrance steps of the ICC headquarters in The Hague. All indications were that it was going to be a memorable day – a delegation of over hundred Kenyans had invaded the sea-side city, and they were ready to paint it red. Boisterously strutting along the pavement, you might have thought they were in their own backyards. They proudly donned the national colours as if what they were about to do was a national affair - forgetting that the president was going to the ICC in his personal capacity. They sang and chanted pro-Kenyatta phrases. Unsurprisingly, the most outrageous leader since Kenyas inception, Senator Mike Sonko, was on hand to lead one or two chants: “Uuuuhuruuu! The gate of the prison will be open! Free our President! I was amused to see that some had gone to the extent of branding themselves the Sonko Rescue Team. Indeed, the wonders of sycophancy shall never end. Clad in red jump suits, they were a spectacle to behold. Some were sprawled on the ground. Others shouted, while yet others paraded flashy banners. It almost seemed evangelical - save for the fact that they were the ‘Sonko Rescue Team’. When the man of the moment arrived, the crowd broke into a frenzy. His supporters and the media charged towards him in the hopes of catching his attention. But as he made his way into the building he did not say a word. His smile was a little deceptive - it seemed to reveal his anxiety. Undoubtedly, the reality of his situation must have dawned on him. Handing over power for 24 hours, or there abouts, would not change the fact that he was about to become the first sitting head of state ever to appear before the ICC as an indictee. And just like that, as Kenyattas feet crossed the ICCs revolving doors, a new chapter in Kenyas history began. Kenyan fever engulfs the ICCs public viewing gallery “Toa hii!”(Remove this one!) That was the mood in the ICC’s public viewing gallery as we waited for the status conference to start. Journalist Joshua Sang, who also stands accused at the ICC for crimes against humanity, and some other bold Kenyans were hard at work. They were busy shuffling the seat labels around in a bid to establish the right way to seat the Kenyan dignitaries who were streaming into the room. Apparently they felt that the ICC had made a mistake by assigning too many seats to the media because there was a large Kenyan delegation present in The Hague. But not everyone was allowed into the ICCs premises. Sonko and his brigade would have to follow the ICCs proceedings from the sidewalk. I thanked my lucky stars because Sonko is too unpredictable. Who knows what he would have done had he seen a subdued and humbled version of his prez in the ICCs dock. And as more and more important Kenyans filled the room, they exchanged handshakes and pleasantries like old friends who had lost touch, yet most of them presumably had breakfast together that morning. It was rather ridiculous but this is just one of the many peculiar things that important Kenyans do. If you can’t arrive with a bang, you’d rather not bother to show up at all. This was supposedly the crème de la crème of Kenyatta’s Hague delegation. To my dismay, Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni and Rwandas Paul Kagame weren’t present. Neither was the African Union, as purported by many in the Jubilee’s social circle. But rubber had met the road and Kenya’s ‘true’ friends were in the room. These were the likes of Minster Najib Balala, Beth Mugo, Foreign Affairs Minister Amina Mohammed and Attorney General Githu Muigai. I knew the faces of others, but their names escaped me. There was nothing regional let along international about them. They were the usual political suspects who loved to be close to power, even if it meant, travelling to the ICC. As I was making mental notes on the events of the day, First Lady Margaret Kenyatta, her daughter and other close friends of the president walked in. Immediately, her aura filled the room. She was calm, composed and collected. I felt a sudden sadness for her predicament for I imagine that she is a woman who is sympathetic to the suffering of others. But, the thought of what her husband is accused of overwhelmed me. I wondered if she truly believed Kenyatta is innocent. And then, the curtain was raised and we could peer into the courtroom. Small dramas during the status conference In Njonjo Mues words, the president sat subdued in court, expressionless and mute, as if dutifully playing the lead role in a pantomime. Honestly, I have little to say about his demeanour. He just seemed a bit wound up. The important thing was that he was there, and that is all that counted. The president of Kenya, Uhuru Kenyatta, was at the ICC accused of having orchestrated the murder and displacement of his people. During the status conference, there were many more instances when Kenyans simply behaved badly. I cannot name all of them. For instance, when a group - which included the controversial lawmaker Moses Kuria - barged into the viewing gallery despite the fact that it was full to capacity. Or when some tried to mimic a parliamentary session by softly stamping their feet when Kenyatta’s lawyer said something ‘favourable’ . On 8 October 2014 the world watched in bewilderment as Kenyattas solidarity convoy invaded the ICCs compound with a bang! I watched in horror as our leaders embarrassed themselves beyond redemption. It was a sight to behold - inside and outside the courts premises, grown men and women, mothers and fathers simply behaved badly. They showed up and showed off, but their actions only served to further ridicule a great nation. For how else could one justify a circus performance in support of a man accused of heinous crimes against humanity? The day left an indelible impression on me, and almost a week later, I’m still trying to come to terms with what happened that day at the ICC.
Posted on: Thu, 16 Oct 2014 05:08:41 +0000
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