The case where Somalia has sued Kenya over a maritime border is unique as this is the first time the country has been sued before the International Court of Justice.
Kiharu MP Irungu Kang’ata said, “Neither has Somalia ever litigated here. States rarely resort to this court – disputants first try various methods of dispute resolutions such as mediation, negotiation, arbitration and regional entities. It acts like a court of last resort and this shows how drastic the measure was and how seriously Kenya is taking the case.”
He spoke from The Hague where the case is ongoing. “If Somalia wins based on the principal it is asserting, Kenya may be compelled to sue Tanzania to apply the same principle which can be detrimental to the whole Horn of Africa situation,” Kang’ata said.
