NICE BEST PHOTO OF THE DAY

Uhuru’s wealth a stone in ICC prosecutor’s shoe

In a situation that exemplifies the strained relationship between Kenya and the International Criminal Court, the trial chamber in the Uhuru Kenyatta case is expected to make a formal ruling following an application by the prosecutor for a finding that Kenya has failed to cooperate with the court in relation to the cases facing the Kenyan president and his deputy William Ruto. Oral arguments were heard on Friday during a status conference before the trial court convened to hear the allegations of non-cooperation against Kenya.

Attorney-General Githu Muigai argued that co-operation with the court is subject to Kenyan law and that the Kenya government has no power to compel the production of financial records for Mr Kenyatta without an order issued by a competent Kenyan court.

The AG argued that it was his duty to keep a distance from both the defence and the prosecution in the Kenyatta case, and that for this reason he had not discussed with the President his position regarding the requested information.

 According to Mr Muigai, it was up to the ICC to make an application before the Kenyan national courts.

But the common legal representative for victims Fergal Gaynor strongly disagreed with the AG’s position on Kenyan law, arguing that Mr Muigai had a duty to assist the court, which he had neglected, and instead had chosen to defend the accused.

In the relevant filing, the prosecutor moved the court to make a formal finding that Kenya has failed to cooperate with the court and, therefore, refer the matter to the Assembly of States Parties.

Under the Rome Statute, one of the fundamental obligations of states that are parties to the ICC is to cooperate with the court in all aspects of the trial of cases before the court.

According to the prosecutor, Kenya has failed to comply with her April 2012 request to produce financial and other records of Mr Kenyatta that are relevant to critical issues in this case and may shed light on the scope of the accused’s conduct, including the allegation that he financed the crimes with which he is charged.

The prosecutor alleges that for 19 months, her “repeated requests have been met with obfuscation and intransigence” and seeks a finding that Kenya has failed to comply with the court.

Museveni agrees to sign merciless anti-gays Bill

President Museveni on Friday told NRM legislators at Kyankwanzi that he would assent to the Anti-Homosexuality Bill passed by Parliament in December last year. The Bill seeks to make same-sex punishable by life imprisonment upon conviction.

President Museveni did not only agree to sign the Bill, he also warned that the promoters, exhibitionists and those who practice homosexuality for mercenary reasons “will not be tolerated” and “will be dealt with harshly”.

The President, who had earlier refused to assent to the Bill, changed his position after a group of 11 scientists from ministry of Health and Makerere University, led by the director of planning and development at the ministry of Health, Dr Isaac Ezati (who represented Dr Ruth Achieng, the director general of health services), presented to him their findings on whether homosexual behaviour is genetic or not. Presidential Advisor on Science Dr Richard Tushemereirwe told the president that homosexuality has serious public health consequences and should therefore not be tolerated.

A statement from the NRM Caucus Spokesperson Evelyn Anite reads: “The President made it clear that his work was done and that all he needed was for the scientists to sign the paper they presented since it would be a historical document forming basis for the signing of the Bill.” Speaking after scientists presented their findings, the President, according to Information minister Rose Namayanja said if the scientists give him a signed copy of their presentation, he will do what he called “the historical job of signing the Bill” into law.

After the President made his promise to sign the Bill, sources said the members moved a motion blocking further debate on the controversial Bill and immediately gave him a standing ovation, singing in Luganda: “Mzee Tajja Kugenda, Lwaki Agenda?” —loosely interpreted as “The old man (president Museveni) will not leave power, why should he?”

What your child needs to feel loved?

If Gertrude Joseph could go back in time and become a child again, the only thing she would wish for is that her guardian would spend more time with her.

“I know she loved me and she did her best to provide for me materially, but because we did not have much one-on-one time together, we did not form a close bond. I would have wanted for us to just sit down and bond and talk,” she says.

As a result Gertrude goes out of her way to give her children the love she would have wanted to get as a child.

“To make my children feel loved, I make sure I am there for them and that I listen to what they have to say. I give them attention, put their needs first, as well as spoil them with sweet treats once in a while.”

Quality time

Elizabeth Wambui, a 28 year-old mother of one also believes that giving a child quality time is one of the best ways to express your love.

“You may want to show them love by buying them expensive gifts and taking them on vacations, but what will leave an indelible mark on them is the time you spend seated on the carpet doing whatever they want with them,” says the mother of a six year-old daughter.

Agnes Rogo, a speaker on child development issues agrees that taking the time to form a close bond with a child is one of the most important things in creating a loving environment for children.

“What helps a child do well in life is having a healthy and secure bond with his primary caregiver. Without a loving environment, you may send your child to the best schools and provide for him materially, but he ends up rebelling and you wonder what went wrong.

“On the other hand, children who form a healthy bond feel safe to explore the environment and develop trust,” Rogo says.

According to Rogo, one way to form that secure bond and make your child feel loved is by being responsive to his needs. For instance, if your child wants his hand held and you do that, it registers in his mind that you love him.

Freedom with limits

“However, responding doesn’t mean giving them everything they want without limits. It means hearing them out and responding appropriately.

For instance if your child wants something but you can’t buy it at that time, get down to his level and explain why. When a child sees that you understand him, he will not throw a tantrum. However, avoid being the parent who is always refusing all requests because this will frustrate the child.”

Dr Stanley Mukolwe, a parenting coach and author of Raising Future Parents, adds that while a child may know what he wants, he may not know the danger associated with getting it. In such a case, denying a child what he wants would be the loving thing to do.

Also, a child may fail to perceive being disciplined as love. In that case Dr Mukolwe has some words of advice:

“You should talk to the child before and after discipline to make the child understand why he is being disciplined. One should also teach the rules ahead of time and for everything the child perceives as negative, do six positive things with the child,” advises Mukolwe.

This is important because if a child does not feel loved, they can fall into depression, become violent or have frequent anger outbursts.

Email: sound.living@thecitizen.co.tz