NewsRescue
Kenyan President William Ruto has stated that his country will ratify the 2014 Malabo Protocol by September, paving the way for the Pan-African Parliament (PAP) to become the African Union’s (AU) formal legislative arm.
The Malabo Protocol aims to transform the PAP into a full-fledged legislative body with jurisdiction over international and transnational organised crime; in other words, to establish an African international crimes court.
Before it may enter into force, the convention must be adopted by at least 28 countries. However, only 15 of the protocol’s 22 signatories in 2014 accepted it, making Kenya the 16th.
According to Ken Bosire, a Kenyan political expert, Nairobi’s decision to give the PAP parliamentary power is a “positive move” that may inspire other African leaders to follow suit. “The new Kenyan president appears to have some kind of persuasive sway among regional leaders,” he continued.
