Bitter-sweet victory for Uhuru and Ruto

By EMEKA-MAYAKA GEKARA gmayaka@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted  Sunday, March 10  2013 at  00:30

From left: ICC Chief Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda, Deputy President designate William Ruto and President-elect Uhuru Kenyatta. Photos | AFP and FILE |   NATION MEDIA GROUPFrom left: ICC Chief Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda, Deputy President designate William Ruto and President-elect Uhuru Kenyatta. Photos | AFP and FILE |   NATION MEDIA GROUP

President-elect Uhuru Kenyatta and his Deputy William Ruto go to State House against the shadow of their cases at the International Criminal Court.

The two are among four Kenyans charged with crimes against humanity at the ICC in connection with the 2007/8 violence.

The judges have scheduled Mr Kenyatta’s trial for July 9 while that of his deputy will start in May.

Mr Kenyatta’s defence team will on Monday attend a status conference at the Hague-based court to prepare for the trials.

The ICC case was a major campaign issue with concerns raised on whether the two will have time to run the government and defend themselves at the same time.

Those opposed to their presidential bid had also argued that Kenya will be isolated by countries with a policy of minimal contact with individuals indicted by the ICC.

The other accused are former Head of Public Service Francis Muthaura and ex-radio journalist Joshua arap Sang.

Mr Kenyatta, who has been serving as deputy prime minister, maintains that he can manage affairs of state while under trial at the ICC.

“We have been, up to date, I’ve still been a member of government, I’ve still been able to execute my duties, I still believe I’ll be able to execute my duties as President, once selected by the people of Kenya. There’s nothing to prevent the two processes from moving side by side,” he said last week in a TV interview.

Secondly, Mr Kenyatta contended that a vote for them in the election would be an indication of their supporters’ thinking about the case and the ICC process.

“I believe that this case is built on a lot of gossip, fabrication and ultimately, I do believe that justice will be done and we will be proved innocent.”

Come to terms

Mr Kenyatta has asked countries uncomfortable with their presidential candidature to “come to terms” with the possibility of dealing with an indicted president.

“It is not that we are forcing ourselves on the people of Kenya,” he says. “Ultimately, it’s the people of Kenya who will decide who is best suited to take this country forward for the next five years. Now if they do decide it’s me, that is a domestic issue left to the sovereign democratic will of the people of Kenya and any friend of Kenya who wishes to move along must recognise that and must take it in their stride.”

Powerful countries such as the US, Britain and France had taken special interest in the Kenyan election.

They cautioned that their countries will only have “essential contact” with the ICC accused if they win the presidency.

Kenya is an ally of the US in the war on terrorism and the Kenya Defence Forces have played a key role in pushing back the rise of Al-Shabaab, a group that associates itself with Al-Qaeda.

European countries are a key market for Kenyan agricultural products and major companies have invested heavily in banking, construction, tourism, agriculture, security, telecommunications and other industries.