Statehouse has through a dispatch confirmed that the Cabinet on Tuesday considered and approved the Extradition Treaties between the Republic of Kenya and the two nations.
The move, according to the dispatch, is aimed at promoting effective judicial cooperation between the Republic of Kenya on one hand and both the People’s Republic of China and the Government of Italy on the other.
The latest move means that Kenyans who break laws in the two nations will be repatriated back to the country to face trial. Cases facing Chinese and Italian citizens in Kenya will also be handled in a similar way.
“As a consequence of the ratification of treaties, Kenyans who run afoul of the law in the two nations can be extradited for purpose of carrying out criminal proceedings or executing final custodial sentence in Kenya, and vice versa,” the dispatch read.
The decision is part of President William Ruto’s strategy to cement the place of Nairobi as the premier centre for International Arbitration on the continent.
In this regard, Cabinet also considered and approved the policy on Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR).
“The State intervention also seeks to decongest our Courts and to enhance access to justice by providing high quality, affordable, timely, and effective alternatives to standard judicial processes,” said the dispatch
“Providing an example of how Alternative Dispute Resolution can be used to unlock complex disputes, Cabinet considered and approved the resolution of the impasse in the implementation of the Arror, Kimwarer, and Itare Dam Projects through ADR,” added the dispatch
The intervention by Cabinet, according to the dispatch, seeks to address the huge financial exposure facing the Government of Kenya arising from the unfulfilled debt obligations under the Financing Agreements for the Projects.
“Arising therefrom, the Government of Kenya has sanctioned negotiated commercial settlement for the Commercial Contracts and Financing Agreements for the Projects,” the dispatch said of the stalled dams projects
