Museveni accuses ICC of mishandling Kenya cases

 Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni at a past event. He has accused the International Criminal Court of mishandling complex African matters.

In Summary

• Museveni says many African countries had supported creation of the ICC because they abhor impunity
• The court has ignored African Union positions on on African matters
• President Uhuru Kenyatta, his deputy William Ruto and former radio journalist Joshua Sang are facing crimes against humanity charges

NEW YORK

The International Criminal Court is guilty of "arrogance" in its prosecution of Kenya's elected leaders, Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni declared in a speech to the United Nations in New York on Tuesday.

"The ICC, in a shallow, biased way, has continued to mishandle complex African issues," Mr Museveni said. "This is not acceptable. The ICC should stop."

"Kenya is recovering," he asserted. "Let her recover."

The Ugandan Head of State noted that many African countries had supported creation of the ICC "because we abhor impunity."

Museveni said the court has ignored African Union positions on on African matters.

He associated the ICC with "the old mistake makers" who failed to heed the anticolonial slogan of "Africa for the Africans."

"The latest manifestation of arrogance is from the ICC in relation to the elected leaders of Kenya," Mr Museveni said.

"We know the origin of the past mistakes," he assured his listeners in the UN General Assembly hall. "The ICC way is not the right one to handle those mistakes."

President Uhuru Kenyatta, his deputy William Ruto and former radio journalist Joshua Sang are facing crimes against humanity charges before the ICC.