Uhuru ready for case over his candidature

By Wahome Thuku

Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta is ready to fight a case challenging his suitability to become the fourth president.

Uhuru has hired the Daly & Figgis law firm to act for him in the case filed by an NGO, International Centre for Policy and Conflict (ICPC).

The organisation’s lawyer Suyianka Lempaa was Wednesday served with a notice by the law firm informing him that they would be acting for Uhuru in the case.

The petition filed on November 30, last year is seeking a determination whether Uhuru and Eldoret North MP William Ruto can hold public offices despite crime charges against them still pending at the International Criminal Court.

They also want a determination on whether the continuous holding of State offices by the two aspirants or any other criminal suspects would be a recipe for chaos and perpetuate the culture of impunity.

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The trials of the two at The Hague begin on April 10 and 11.

Uhuru is charged with former Head of Public Service Francis Muthaura in the second case, while Ruto is charged in the first case with radio journalist Joshua arap Sang.

 Biggest obstacle

The ICPC named Uhuru, Ruto, the Attorney General and the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission as respondents.

The petition filed only a day after withdrawal of a similar one by another group, presents the biggest obstacle in the quest by the two candidates to seek the leadership of the country in March.

Earlier, the case had hit a snag after lawyers were unable to reach the two politicians to serve them with court papers.

Court official Michael Munguti, however, managed to access the two and served them with the papers.

Ruto and the IEBC are yet to respond to the matter.

The AG has informed the NGO that Deputy Solicitor General Muthoni Kimani will represent him.

But the petition faces a different challenge due to the time limits in handing in nomination papers to the IEBC.

“The court will still make a determination on the questions we have raised even if the nominations will have been concluded,” said Lempaa.