Jubilee welcomes Raila offer on Ruto, angered by his conditions

The Jubilee coalition yesterday welcomed Opposition leader Raila Odinga’s offer to testify in defence of Deputy President William Ruto at the International Criminal Court (ICC).

But they did not take kindly the tough conditions attached to his offer, likening it to carrot and stick politics. Led by Majority Leader Aden Duale, the leaders said Raila’s testimony should be driven by honesty andgenuine concern to help Ruto and radio journalist Joshua arap Sang.

Opposition leader Raila Odinga. He has offered to testify in defence of Deputy President William Ruto at the International Criminal Court (ICC). (PHOTO: COURTESY)

On Monday, Raila laid down his conditions to testify on Ruto’s behalf, claiming that the DP’s fate at the ICC was in the hands of President Uhuru Kenyatta. He asked President Kenyatta to take a series of actions, including ordering the recanting of incriminating evidence allegedly forwarded by the National Intelligence Service to the Waki commission.s help in Ruto case problem with Raila’s evidence, his conditions have “dampened his claim to innocence” with regard to the circumstances under which the DP was ‘fixed’.

“We have confirmed that he knows a lot about the case in terms of the number of files that were submitted by the National Intelligence Service (NIS) to the Waki Commission. But we are asking him not to give conditions. We have confirmed that he is aware of the Waki files, let him go and say what he knows,” said Duale, adding that Raila’s statement displays another propensity by the Opposition leader to play what they termed chameleon politics.

Kericho Senator Charles Keter said this is the time to own up but asked Raila not to set conditions. “Whoever has anything to do with the case, I call upon him or her to say the truth. Doing so will set this country free. Raila should give his evidence without any conditions,” Keter said.

Elgeyo/Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen also welcomed Raila’s gesture but challenged him to go beyond political rhetoric and put his testimony in writing.

“He should write a letter to the United Nations Security Council and ICC as was the case before through former ODM Secretary General Anyang’ Nyong’o. He should detail the fixing of Ruto and who fixed him. It is never too late to do the right thing. In the past, Raila has been a little wishy-washy, but we are happy he is willing to help his former comrade. As a co-principal of CORD, his testimony will be very weighty,” Murkomen said.

House Justice and Legal Affairs Committee chairman Samuel Chepkonga (Ainabkoi) argued that since Raila has variously admitted that the evidence against the DP was procured fictitiously, he should tell the world what he knows. According to Chepkonga, Raila’s statement shows that he knows how Ruto was “set up at the ICC”.

“He was a co-principal in the Opposition when the post-election violence took place and he has admitted that the evidence against the DP was procured in a suspicious manner. That admission is enough to prove that he has knowledge on how Ruto was fixed,” said Chepkonga, who is this morning expected to move a motion to set up a select committee to investigate the work of the Waki commission following claims by Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria that some witnesses fabricated evidence.

Deputy Speaker Joyce Laboso said she did not see why Raila should make a conditional offer. “Let him play his part if he is offering and say what he knows. What we are interested in is anything that will exonerate Ruto and Sang from the yoke of ICC,” said Laboso.

Joseph Manje (Kajiado North) said no one should give conditions before testifying on behalf of the DP but wondered “why should the Waki envelope be opened if it was based on coached witnesses?”

“Let Raila go and give evidence if he has any. He should not base his evidence on other people’s actions,” said Jimmy Angwenyi (Kitutu Chache North).

Baringo North MP William Cheptumo added: “He seems to have information but he needs to know that if you want to help someone, you do not put conditions, otherwise it looks suspect.”

“If he is honest, I do not see why he should offer conditions,” said Ainamoi MP Benjamin Langat.

Mosop MP Stephen Bitok said Raila had previously said Ruto and Uhuru should be in jail and therefore if he wants to be taken seriously he should reciprocate the good gesture the Kalenjin community gave him in the 2007 general election. Baringo County Woman Representative Grace Kiptui said Raila was not genuine on his offer to testify and it should be taken with a pinch of salt.

“It is clear he is looking for an opportunity to fix President Kenyatta in the name of unfixing Ruto, thus causing more problems. It is better he is left alone,” said Ms Kiptui.

Kisumu Senator Anyang’ Nyong’o said Jubilee leaders are always fixing the wrong things to the detriment of Kenyans, accusing the ruling coalition of fixing elections and deals to grab land.

“I am not going to be drawn into this fixing game. My mother always tells me never to argue with a fool: people will not know the difference,” Nyong’o said.

Tiaty MP Asman Kamama welcomed the recanting of evidence given to the Waki commission, as suggested by Raila, but absolved President Kenyatta from any complicity.

James Lomenen (Turkana South) said: “Ruto should be cautious of the overtures by Raila. It is a scheme to divide Jubilee and rope him into the Opposition. Raila is using the ICC cases as a political remote control.”