Ruto backs Uhuru as Raila digs in

By MOSES NJAGIH and DAVID OCHAMI

Eldoret North MP William Ruto defended the weekend’s calls by Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta’s supporters for postponement of The Hague’s case against them until after next year’s General Election.

But Prime Minister Raila Odinga and his allies took a swipe at Uhuru and Ruto with the PM saying: "ICC suspects know how they ended up at The Hague and should stop hoodwinking Kenyans…I did not take them there."

Eldoret North MP William Ruto at Faith Evangelistic Ministries, Karen, on Sunday, where he attended a church service. He later told the Press he hoped the coming General Election will be peaceful. [PHOTO: MBUGUA KIBERA/STANDARD]

Ruto argued Uhuru’s supporters who are planning to petition the International Criminal Court to delay the Kenyan case through collection of signatures were exercising their constitutional rights and freedom of expression.

Though he backed Uhuru’s strategy, he declined to give his own definite position over the proposal to defer the trial, saying he would make that known at "an appropriate time".

In a direct response to Raila’s own criticism of his series of ‘peace and prayer’ rallies with Uhuru, Ruto responded: "Their criticism and claims against the prayers can only be coming from ill intent. We go down on our knees to pray because we believe in the power of prayer."

Ruto spoke after attending Sunday service at Faith Evangelistic Ministry Church in Karen.

On his part the PM accused Uhuru and the other ICC suspects of displaying misplaced anger after their indictment adding his Orange Democratic Movement had nothing to gain from their tribulations. "We are not interested in taking anyone anywhere. These two (Uhuru and Ruto) know how they went there (at The Hague)," Raila went on.

He spoke on a day Ruto supported Uhuru’s strategy for remaining on the ballot paper in the race for State House next year after their initial appeal against being committed to full trial failed. They, however, have one more possible chance to escape the protracted courtroom trial by way of the appeal they filed on ICC’s jurisdiction on Kenya’s case.

In taking on Ruto and Uhuru, a speaker at Raila’s rally also introduced a new dimension in his political rivalry with the G7 Alliance by asking the Eldoret North MP and Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka to ask themselves why Uhuru did not invite them to his Gema rally in Limuru last Friday.

Phantom philosophy

Several MPs who accompanied the PM to his public meeting in Kibera, Nairobi, demanded elections be held December, not March 4 next year as announced by Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission.

Regional Development minister Fred Gumo who accompanied the PM and chairs the arbitrating team in the Orange party claimed some external forces were plotting how to wreck the Orange Democratic Movement.

They condemned the Gema meeting in Limuru that endorsed Uhuru’s quest for the presidency claiming the elite from the Gikuyu, Embu and Meru communities who convened it have conspired to hold the poor within Central Kenya to a "phantom philosophy".

Nominated MP Rachel Shebesh accused Uhuru of exploiting Central Kenya youth since the last Parliament and asked President Kibaki to restrain "these people who are always insulting the Prime minister."

She also claimed a clique within Gema was fanning sentiments against the ICC and claimed this group was behind the March 8 ‘dossier’ tabled before Parliament alleging a conspiracy to detain Uhuru and Ruto at The Hague and indict Kibaki once he retires.

Mr Manson Nyamweya said the Limuru group represented a class that has dominated politics and enjoyed privilege in Central Kenya since the days of first President Jomo Kenyatta, who is Uhuru’s father.

Referring to the Limuru meeting where Uhuru galvanised the support of the Gema communities behind his tribulations with ICC, Raila asked the DPM to stop whipping up tribal emotions with meetings in his political backyard.

Ethnic mobilisation

He expressed dismay that a "group sits down and throws its weight behind an individual who does not even know the party on whose ticket he will run for the General Election."

"He has no policies but wants to run simply because of his tribe," Raila said.

The PM told his supporters that his opponents had resorted to ethnic mobilisation and accused Uhuru of seeking the presidency without stating his political party. "I challenge our opponents to stop ethnic mobilisation and hate," he said in apparent reference the Gema meeting.

"I cannot take Luos and tell them to unite and put me in power. I am supposed to be a president for all Kenyans," he said and asked those who congregated in Limuru to state "their policies and ideology."

Former Kibwezi MP Kalembe Ndile who attended the Kibera rally accused Central Kenya elite of holding ordinary citizens there hostage. "The prayers by Uhuru and Ruto are excitement sessions but do not consider the plight of poor and landless Kenyans including squatters at the Coast," Kalembe said.

Human Rights

"Let Ruto and Kalonzo ask themselves why they were excluded from the Gema meeting yet they claim they are pillars of one coalition."

Energy Minister Kiraitu Murungi introduced the debate at the Limuru meeting and argued that denying Uhuru and Ruto a chance to contest the elections by virtue of them challenging the ICC trial would be in contravention of the International Declaration on Human Rights.

Reacting to the resolution of the meeting Ruto said those in support of the idea should not be castigated.