Kenya government failed to stand by its ally Libya whose support the government sought in the bid to defer ICC cases. The country joined the rest of the world to vote for Tripoli’s suspension from the United Nations Human Rights Council.

But the government’s voting at the UN General Assembly was defended by the Foreign Affairs ministry in Nairobi. Acting Foreign Affairs permanent secretary said Kenya’s action should not be viewed as hostile. He said the matter even the African Union has spoke out against because the response against Libya people was well beyond what was expected adding that almost every other country has expressed dismay.

The suspension was due to Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi’s lethal crackdown on protests as the Security Council warned of new action against his regime. 192-member assembly passed a suspension resolution without a vote, after UN chief Ban Ki-moon urged the body o “act decisively.”

No country spoke up for the Libyan regime at the brief debate. Col Gaddafi was one of the African leaders Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka met as he lobbied to continent’s leaders to support Kenya’s request to have the ICC cases deferred.

The VP’s meeting with Col Gaddafi, who unsurprisingly gave his blessings to Kenya’s request, has come under criticism from several quarters. Past weeks Deputy PM Musalia Mudavadi told reporters in Kakamega that the VP owed the country an apology for seeking support of e embattled Libyan leader in the bid to have the cases deferred. He commented what kind of people the VP is associating Kenyans with.