Raila: Don't blame me over ICC

Raila wants "Ocampo Six" tried at The Hague

Written By:Catherine Achienga,    Posted: Sun, Feb 20, 2011

Prime Minister Raila Odinga has reiterated his call for the six post-election violence suspects to be tried at The Hague.

Raila who was addressing a huge crowd at Tononoka grounds in Mombasa said in the absence of a credible judiciary and a special local tribunal, Kenya has no capacity to prosecute cases involving gross human rights violations.

But speaking separately in Nairobi and Pokot, Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta and suspended higher education minister William Ruto hit out at the PM accusing him of hatching a plot to eliminate key 2012 presidential contenders.

The two are among the six people named by the International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo as bearing the greatest responsibility during the post poll chaos.

The PM hit out at a section of politicians whom he claims were intent on frustrating the implementation of the new constitution.

He further opposed the proposed deferral of The Hague cases maintaining that their hearing and determination was the only way to bring about reconciliation in the country.

However speaking in Nairobi, Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta differed with Odinga's stand and instead accused a clique of supporters allied to the prime minister's camp of politicizing the implementation of the new constitution for selfish gains.

And in Pokot Ruto publicly renounced his allegiance to ODM with a promise to vie for presidency under the UDM party.