Saturday, December 11, 2010

Ruto says he is ready to face The Hague, declares he is clean


Suspended Higher Education Minister William addressing a group of Mau forest evictees on Friday.


By KARANJA NJOROGE 
Eldoret North MP William Ruto says he is ready to appear before the International Criminal Court.
"I went to the The Hague and came back and if they want me to go back again I will go as I am innocent," the Eldoret North MP said.
He accused the ICC of basing their evidence on unreliable characters who were out to settle scores after being compromised through financial inducements.
The suspended minister said he would overcome the tribulations, as he was not involved in the violence.
MP Boaz Kaino said President Kibaki and Raila bear the greatest responsibility for the violence, as they were the ones seeking the presidency.
Contrary evidence
"Rift Valley Province did not have a presidential candidate and we should not be blamed," he said.
Belgut MP Charles Keter said the violence was not planned and challenged anybody with contrary evidence to come forward and present it to the ICC.
He said they had rejected a local tribunal, as it was prone to manipulation adding that the ICC had also fallen prey to local politics.
They accused the PM of frustrating the families evicted from Mau forest and claimed there is a plot to use the planned resettlement as a campaign tool in 2012.
They said there is no money to buy land for the IDPs, but when they heard we are coming they confirmed the money is available.
The MPs said that despite the impeding ICC trials, the suspended Higher education minister would be in the race for Presidency in 2012.
"We are going to table a motion in Parliament so that the Government can explain how it intends to spend the money. Conservation NGOs from outside Mau are using the issue to make money at the behest of local people who are suffering," MP Julius Kones said.

No comments:

Post a Comment