NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 8 - The International Criminal Court (ICC) on Monday asked Kenyans to be patient as the Pre-Trial Chamber determines whether to allow investigations into the post election violence.

Maria Kamara, the Field Outreach Coordinator for Uganda (which is part of the Public Information and Documentation Section at the ICC) told Capital News that the process may take longer than Kenyans expect.

“This is a judicial process, it takes time; there is no deadline in terms of when the decision is expected,” she said.

In line with its procedures, she said the judges would announce their decision after which the communication department would explain the ruling. The chamber may either allow or reject Prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo’s application to open investigations on the Kenya case.

Ms Kamara was categorical that there were no ICC investigators in the country until the Pre-Trial Chamber judges give the go-ahead.

“Until and unless the judges give that go-ahead, investigations cannot start.”

The outreach coordinator clarified that only her team from the Public Information Mission was in the country to explain the ICC process to Kenyans.

The head of the ICC Outreach Unit Claudia Perdomo raised concerns that there were misconceptions about the court, explaining that the team was in the country to clarify them and manage the expectations of Kenyans.

Mr Ocampo late last year applied to the ICC Pre-Trial Chamber judges for permission to open a case against the chief masterminds of the 2008 post election violence in Kenya after the government declined to seek a self referral.

Mr Ocampo said he had enough evidence to prove his case before the judges.