Ruto jets back from the Hague

BY ANTHONY KAGIRI

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1/2 NAIROBI, Kenya, Nov 8 - Eldoret North Member of Parliament William Ruto has finally jetted back into the country after a lengthy session with the International Criminal Court investigators at The Hague. Mr Ruto told a press conference in Nairobi that his trip was “successful” where he shared information with the ICC sleuths who are investigating Kenya’s 2008 post election violence. “I have a civic duty as a citizen to participate and sort out issues leading to the post election violence. I have an obligation to lead from the front when things are both good and bad,” he said. “As part of that responsibility, I thought it was prudent to share with the investigators what I knew on the issues relating to the violence in our country,” he said of the 30-hour engagement with the ICC. “Secondly, in the effort of making my contribution I thought it necessary that I bring information available to me to the investigators, like the Waki report , the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights report and to set the record straight,” he said. “It was important for me to have a discussion with the investigators on this matter because some politicians and human rights people and some lawyers decided they were going to perpetuate the falsehoods in the Waki and human rights reports by manufacturing witnesses and using huge amounts of money,” he added. The suspended Higher Education Minister insisted that he was innocent against accusation that he may have been involved in the post election violence and claimed that his political enemies have coached and bribed witnesses to implicate him. “Political mercenaries were used and witnesses were given money, promised life outside the country in the US and other foreign capitals if and when they continued to perpetuate the false hoods in these reports,” he said. He said he was happy that he has informed the ICC investigators his side of the story as regards the post election violence and accused Justice Philip Waki of spreading falsehoods when in his report he indicated that Mr Ruto had testified before the tribunal that investigated the post election violence. “I have absolutely no regrets whatsoever regarding my visit,” Mr Ruto said. “I have done my bit as a citizen of this country, as a leader and it is up to the investigators of the ICC to carry out the investigations and resolve the whole situation.” “My trip to The Hague was worth every minute of it and I am happy I made that decision and I come home very satisfied. I am happy that I have made my contribution as a leader in trying to resolve the issues leading to the post election violence,” the Eldoret North MP said. Mr Ruto’s plane had earlier been diverted from Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) and directed to land at Mombasa’s Moi International Airport due to poor visibility. The plane was allowed to land at JKIA after 8am. At the airport dozens of supporters including family members and MPs welcomed him back with song and dance. Belgut MP Charles Keter had accompanied him to The Hague together with his two lawyers Katwa Kigen and Dr Kithure Kindiki. Mr Ruto told journalists that he had made a request to ICC for the meeting after he failed to make it to an initial request by the office of the prosecutor. "I asked for an appointment with Ocampo and his group so that we can set the record straight and get to the truth." Last month Mr Ocampo revealed that a high ranking politician had written to him expressing willingness to appear voluntarily before the ICC and Mr Ruto confirmed he was the one.