Addis Ababa -
The African Union is expected to announce on Monday that it would prefer to see Kenya handle its own legal affairs, rather than let the International Criminal Court prosecute the country's president on charges of crimes against humanity.
President Uhuru Kenyatta, his deputy William Ruto and two others are accused of organising post-election violence in late 2007 that left over 1 000 people dead and displaced hundreds of thousands in ethnic attacks.
Their trials are expected to start this year in the Netherlands.
There is growing criticism of the ICC in Africa.
The AU has in the past criticised The Hague-based court for pushing genocide charges against Sudan President Omar al-Bashir. The feeling within the continental body is that the arrest warrant would not help end the conflict in Darfur.
While African leaders just a decade ago were amongst the court's most ardent supporters, their position has changed, in large part because the only arrest warrants issued by the court so far have been for Africans.
The AU is holding a summit in Addis Ababa and celebrating 50 years since the founding of its predecessor, the Organisation for African Unity. - Sapa-dpa