Ruto: My trip to The Hague

Mr William Ruto soon after he arrived at Nairobi's Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on Monday after visiting The Hague to meet prosecutors at the International Criminal Court. Photo | WILLIAM OERI 

By PAUL JUMA (pjuma@ke.nationmedia.com)
Posted Monday, November 8 2010 at 10:49

Suspended Higher Education minister William Ruto returned to the country on Monday from Netherlands where he had gone to meet the International Criminal Court investigators and declared that he was satisfied with the trip.

Mr Ruto arrived at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport shortly after 8am to a rousing welcome. His supporters, friends and relatives who had been waiting at the airport from as early as 5am burst in song, dance and cheers when he emerged from the international arrivals lobby.

Mr Ruto stopped briefly to greet the cheering crowd and thanked them for their support.

He declared that he had returned home glad that there was still room for truth in Kenya, adding: “Ukweli ukidhihirika, uongo utajulikana (When the truth comes out, falsehood will be isolated).”

And using another popular Kiswahili saying, perhaps to drive home his happiness, he added: “Mungu si Athumani, Mungu si binanadamu (God is not a human being).”

After speaking for less than 10 minutes, he left the airport as his security detail struggled to keep his supporters at bay.

Rumours and Lies

He later addressed the media at Nairobi's Panari Hotel where he trashed as rumours and lies the contents of the Waki Report on the post-election violence and the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights Report - the two documents that have become central in the investigation into Kenya's post election violence.

He accused the two commissions of denying those adversely mentioned the opportunity to give their side of the story, and further accused judges who compiled the Waki Report of going ahead and lying that he was given a chance.

He said: “Some of those investigations were compiled and they represent quite a bit of rumours and falsehood and propaganda.”

That, he added, was the reason he went to The Hague – “to set the record straight” – and held successful discussions with ICC investigators.

When asked whether he met Chief Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo, his reply was short, and indirect: “As to whether I went to the ICC to meet a taxi operator, that is for you to decide.”

Present at the news conference included his wife, Mrs Rachel Ruto, his mother Ms Sarah Samoei, and MPs Charles Keter, Joseph Kutuny and Linus Cheruiyot.