African press review 25 September 2013

How many died at Westgate? Why did the bloody attack take place? Who led the assault? Is the ICC arrogant, shallow and biased? And is the UN unfair? And will there be a strike in SA's coalmines?

As the Westgate shopping centre siege is brought to an end in Nairobi, the Kenyan newspapers are left sifting through a mound of information, statement, counter-statement and rumour in an effort to understand what happened and why.

At least 72 people lost their lives, although this morning's daily Standard carries harrowing testimony from Kenyan Defence Forces soldiers who took part in the final assault, suggesting that the final toll may be considerably higher. According to military sources, three floors collapsed during the final battle, trapping several attackers and an as-yet unknown number of hostages.

In his televised address yesterday, President Uhuru Kenyatta referred to intelligence reports suggesting that a British woman and two or three American citizens may have been involved in the attack. The president said it was impossible to confirm the details at present, adding that forensic experts are working to ascertain the nationalities of the terrorists.

British newspapers have claimed that a white woman killed in the security forces seizure of the Westgate centre may heast Africa for several years.

Claims that Lewthwaite was involved in the attack began on Sunday when a number of British papers told of video footage of the attack on a social networking website which appeared to show a balaclava-clad white woman holding a gun. Several eye-witnesses also spoke of a white woman who appeared to be directing part of the terrorist operation.

The Foreign Office in London says it has no evidence to support the rumours and is unwilling to speculate.

The International Criminal Court prosecutor has said she is ready to work with Kenya to ensure the Westgate Mall attackers face justice.

In a statement Fatou Bensouda said the terrorist attack that has led to deaths of at least 72 people was contrary to international law and may constitute a crime under the Rome Statute.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) is guilty of "arrogance" in its prosecution of Kenya's elected leaders, the Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni declared in his speech to the United Nations in New York on Tuesday.

Accusing the court of shallowness and bias, Museveni said the ICC has continued to mishandle complex African issues.

The Ugandan head of state noted that many African countries had supported the creation of the ICC because they abhor impunity.

Museveni said the court has repeatedly ignored African Union positions on African matters.

He associated the ICC with "the old mistake-makers" of the colonial era, who failed to understand that the continent had moved on to become "Africa for the Africans."

The African Union will host a special summit in Addis Ababa on 13 October to debate calls for the continent to withdraw en bloc from the International Criminal Court in protest against its alleged bias against African leaders.

In South Africa financial paper BusinessDay reports that President Jacob Zuma pushed the case for democratic reform of the United Nations on Tuesday, saying the 70-year status quo was unfair to the global majority.

In his speech on the opening day of the General Assembly in New York, Zuma also argued against any changes in "the rules of the game" which define aid from rich nations to poor ones.

South Africa is one of the middle-income countries worried that their share of the development cake will shrink due to the global recession.

Back home, the unions Solidarity, the National Union of Mineworkers and the United Association of South Africa will today meet coalmine owners, represented by the Chamber of Mines, to provide feedback from their members on a revised wage offer tabled by the companies.

South Africa’s coalmining industry is the latest to face the possibility of strikes that threaten to derail production plans at some of the country’s biggest collieries. Coal is among South Africa’s top mining exports.

Last month, mineworkers rejected the employers' second offer since the start of the wage negotiations. The latest proposals include salary increases of between 7.0 and 11 per cent, as well as improved housing and medical allowances.