African press review 9 September 2011

The trial at The Hague of three suspected masterminds of the 2007 post-election violence in Kenya takes pride of place in Friday’s Kenyan press. After a long and controversial selection procedure, South Africa has a new head of the Supreme Court. The Nigerian president's wife is above suspicion.

Thursday was the last day of confirmation hearings in the International Criminal Court’s case against William Ruto, Henry Kosgey and radio journalist Joshua Arap Sang, accused of masterminding the post-election violence.

The Standard reports that ICC prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo is putting up a strong fightback, after spirited defence statements by the suspects’ lawyers.

The Daily Nation says the trio’s lawyers dismissed claims by Ocampo that the poll chaos was staged and funded by a foundation created to promote tribal Kalenjin interests.

They argued that he failed to produce any tangible evidence such as pictures and transaction receipts to substantiate the charges.

According to the paper the judges now have 60 days to rule. If initial evidence presented can support crimes against humanity charges in full trial against the three.

The Standard reports that demonstrators blocked president Mwai Kibaki’s motorcade in Nairobi on Thursday.

The group was protesting the killing of seven people by cattle-rustlers in Merti Isiolo on Tuesday, when they saw the presidential motorcade approaching.

According to The Standard, they immediately barricaded the road, holding up traffic leading to the presidential palace for more than 10 minutes. That was despite frantic efforts by security guards to clear the way.

The Standard says the president could be seen watching the scene behind the dark windows.

Kenya’s Daily Nation looks ahead to the 10th anniversary of the 11 September terrorist attacks, explaining the country is fighting dozens of invisible but very real threats.

According to the newspaper, Kenya stepped up its game after the 1998 American embassy bombing in Nairobi and the 2002 Kikambala hotel bombing.

Kenya is in a tough position, says the newspaper, as it is located next to Somalia, one of the most dangerous countries on earth and a breeding ground for the new generation of extremist threats.

The Nation says the war on terror is fought in shadows and secrecy. No one can really spot the enemy, and victory means that no one knows you were fighting in the first place - but to lose means bloodshed, panic, and long-lasting economic damage.

The South African newspapers examine the appointment of constitutional court justice Mogoeng Mogoeng as head of the country’s Supreme Court, after a grueling process.

Mogoeng Mogoeng was elevated above the deputy chief justice Gikgang Moseneke, whose views were considered insufficiently compatible with those of the governing party.

Business Day reports that a very broad section of the legal fraternity raised strong objections to his legal record, especially his views on gender discrimination and gay relationships considered as being out of line with the constitution.

Mail and Guardian reports that the interrogation process by the judicial services commission was bogged down by a late attempt by the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) to file its own candidate.

President Jacob Zuma held a press briefing in Pretoria on Thursday, commending Mogoeng for his dignity in staying silent amid the strong criticisms that followed his nomination.

Business Day however argues that it remains the constitutional prerogative of the leader of the ruling party to nominate the chief justice.

In Nigeria the papers give wide coverage to a denial by the country’s anti-graft agency of money-laundering allegations brought against first lady Patience Jonathan.

Wikileaks.com, claimed in a recent report that the economic and financial crimes unit seized 13 million euros from Mrs Jonathan in 2006 when her husband was governor of Bayelsa State.

According to This Day, the head of the anti-graft agency, Mrs Farida Waziri, denied claims made by the whistleblowing website.

She told a women’s empowerment group in Abuja that the first lady was not under “any form” of investigation by the agency and described the report as mischievous.

The Vanguard also takes up the story, underlining Waziri’s remarks about a pull-him-down syndrome that has taken hold of the country.

According to the paper, she regretted that people who have worked hard all their lives are unjustly maligned in the media and their names dragged through the mud because of sensationalist reporting in the press.