NAIROBI (Reuters) - The Kenyan shilling weakened against the dollar on Friday, weighed down by concerns over whether the country will pull out of the agreement on which the International Criminal Court (ICC) is based.
At 0908 GMT, commercial banks posted the shilling at 80.60/80 against the dollar, down from Thursday's closing rate of 80.55/65.
The Hague-based ICC has named six prominent Kenyans, including the finance minister, as the main suspects in the country's bloody post-election violence of 2008.
That prompted parliament to pass a motion urging Kenya to withdraw from the Rome Statute that established the ICC.
"The approach the MPs have taken is being viewed as negative for the shilling. It will probably haunt the shilling in the new year," said a senior trader with a leading commercial bank.
The uncertainty deepened after the prime minister said the government was opposed to the country pulling out of the ICC.
One analyst, however, said the chances of the country pulling out are slim.
"The can't withdraw. It would be political suicide with a massive impact on the economy," said Aly Khan Satchu, an independent analyst.
The senior currency trader added that the shilling was dragged lower by last-minute purchase orders for dollars as banks squared their books in the run-up to the end of the year
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