STOP BEING MARCO RUBIO’S PARROT? Two Museveni Ministers Disagree on Move to Quit ICC

Uganda’s Foreign Affairs Minister Adonia Ayebare and Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister Norbert Mao have disagreed over the country’s continued membership in the International Criminal Court (ICC), with Mao initially accusing his colleague of echoing US Secretary of State Marco Rubio before withdrawing the remark after Ayebare defended his position.

The exchange began after Ayebare warned that Uganda could leave the international court if it investigated or indicted Ugandan nationals, arguing that the institution had departed from its original mandate and was undermining the sovereignty of its member states.

“The ICC has lost its way, from blatantly undermining Sovereignty of its member states by exclusively targeting African officials abandoning its original global mandate, some member states targeting senior court officials from the global South like former prosecutor Karim Khan for exercising their prosecutorial independence,” Ayebare said.

“Uganda will not hesitate to leave this increasingly rogue institution should it ever investigate or indict our people,” he added.

Ayebare said Uganda would continue pushing for changes to the court.

“As a member of the ICC Bureau we will continue to advocate for common-sense reforms,” he said.

His remarks drew a response from Mao, who called for a more serious internal discussion on Uganda’s position before making public declarations about withdrawing from the international institution.

“My brother Adonia Ayebare, apart from the need to discuss this matter more seriously to determine where we stand as a country, there’s no need to parrot Secretary Marco Rubio,” Mao said.

The Justice Minister acknowledged that he had his own reservations about the ICC, recalling that he had previously questioned whether the court’s arrest warrants against leaders of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) were undermining peace negotiations.

“At one time I thought the arrest warrants by the ICC against the LRA leaders were undermining peace talks,” Mao said.

However, he argued that Ayebare’s statement risked damaging Uganda’s diplomatic interests, particularly the campaign by former diplomat Olara Otunnu for the position of United Nations Secretary-General.

“But above all, the timing of this statement kills Ambassador Olara Otunnu’s campaign for UN SG. He believes in international law and the role of international organizations to defend the weak against the strong,” Mao said.

“It cannot be the country promoting his candidacy to start publicly denouncing an international organization to which Uganda belongs voluntarily (unlike the US),” he added.

Mao warned that the fallout from Ayebare’s comments could be politically damaging to Otunnu’s campaign.

“Now when Olara Otunnu’s campaign dies, your fingerprints will be all over the murder weapon!” he said.

He ended his response with a reference to the two ministers’ previous exchanges, suggesting that Ayebare should have consulted him before making the statement public.

“Like you have always told me when I post something which is in the kitchen but not ready to be served: We need to talk!” Mao said.

Ayebare subsequently rejected the suggestion that his position on the ICC had anything to do with Rubio’s views or Otunnu’s UN Secretary-General bid.

“With due respect Ladit, there is no relationship between the campaign for Dr Olara Otunnu for SG, and you know the facts, my views on ICC which has been consistent for years,” Ayebare said.

He said he took offence at Mao’s accusation that he was repeating the American secretary of state’s position, insisting that his concerns about the court were rooted in what he considered its unequal treatment of countries and officials.

“I take offense by your assertion that I am parroting Secretary Marco Rubio views. If you read my tweet, I mention that the court has mainly targeted African situations and caused mayhem, remember Sudan, Kenya etc,” Ayebare said.

He also cited the controversy surrounding former ICC prosecutor Karim Khan, whom he described as having been hounded, and recalled an argument made by an Indian delegate against joining the court.

“The hounding of Karim Khan the former prosecutor. I will never forget the delegate India who said that as a leading Democracy his country would never be part of the institution that treats countries differently when explaining why his country was not going to be part of the ICC, this was statement has stood the test of time,” Ayebare said.

Despite their disagreement, Ayebare emphasised that the two ministers had a long-standing relationship and agreed on many issues.

“We go a long way and agree on many things but not this one. Have a great weekend,” he said.

Mao subsequently softened his criticism, acknowledging Ayebare’s explanation and withdrawing the specific accusation that had triggered the dispute.

“Ok I take back the parrot part. Let’s make our talk to be about the principles. I know your long held views on the ICC,” Mao responded.

The exchange ended with Mao retracting the comparison to Rubio while maintaining that Uganda’s position on the ICC should be discussed on its own merits.

Adonia Ayebare is so stranger to social media wars. Ayebare has previously taken on Winnie Byanyima, with the two making shocking allegations against each other — including Byanyima being helped by Museveni to land top international jobs, as detailed Here and There.