Jubilee leaders dismiss Kofi Annan’s criticism of ICC over Uhuru, Ruto cases

National Assembly Majority Leader Aden Duale

Jubilee leaders have dismissed former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan's criticism of The Hague-based court.

Mr Annan heavily attacked the International Criminal Court (ICC) for acquitting President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto.

The Government-allied leaders termed as outrageous and ridiculous the sentiments by Annan, published in the Financial Times, a UK-based daily newspaper, to the effect that failure by ICC to detain Uhuru and Mr Ruto during their cases was to blame for the collapse of the cases.

They said Annan's comments confirmed that the former UN boss, who mediated talks in Kenya after the 2007/2008 post-election violence, was among international leaders who wanted President Kenyatta and Ruto jailed, even if there was no sufficient evidence against them.

National Assembly Majority Leader Aden Duale sensationally claimed that Annan was speaking out of bitterness after his ICC project against Uhuru and Ruto failed.

He claimed that Annan was working for some "imperialists" who were keen on stopping Uhuru and Ruto from seeking the Presidency.

"Now that he has nowhere to hide after his project, for which he was the architect, owner and financier, flopped, he has to express his bitterness," said Mr Duale.

He added: "Kenyans rejected the machination of the imperialists and elected UhuRuto. Annan wanted them jailed but he now has to live with the reality that the people he assigned to get evidence against the six Kenyans failed miserably."

His Senate counterpart Kithure Kindiki said it was disheartening to hear such sentiments from "a person of high regard" who should be championing for justice and the rule of law.

"If he stood by these principles then he should have known the cases collapsed due to lack of evidence," he said.