Sunday, April 8, 2012

MPs milking the ICC cases dry


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Photo/FILE  Uhuru Kenyatta (foreground), William Ruto and Kalonzo Musyoka (right, partially hidden) at a past event.
Photo/FILE Uhuru Kenyatta (foreground), William Ruto and Kalonzo Musyoka (right, partially hidden) at a past event. 
By EMEKA-MAYAKA GEKARA gmayaka@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted  Saturday, April 7  2012 at  22:30
Like dutiful servants, they have followed two of the Ocampo accused wherever they go.
Shedding copious tears, the MPs have been at the side of Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta and Eldoret North MP William Ruto who are facing crimes against humanity charges at the International Criminal Court (ICC).
True comrades, they have promised to be there for the two, every step of the way.
Last year, they flocked to The Hague during the confirmation of the charges hearings and were keen to be captured on camera singing the national anthem.
“May justice be our shield and defender,” they sang from the Dutch city where they had gone in a “show of solidarity and love” for the suspects.
“It is important that when a person is being framed like they are doing to him (Mr Kenyatta), those who support him must show love,” Limuru MP Peter Mwathi, who travelled to The Hague, said.
Trying moments
Justifying the trip, Mr Joshua Kutuny, the Cherangany MP and a Ruto ally said: “We are going to accompany him (Mr Ruto) for encouragement that we are with him during these trying moments.”
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Cabinet minister Njeru Githae had a different reason for his flight to The Hague.
“Uhuru needs to see a colour that matches his when he turns his head round. He should see a person to talk to in Kikuyu. I have volunteered myself to accompany him.”
Well, after their return from The Hague, the MPs have joined the two accused in a series of “prayer rallies” across the country.
Their crusade has seen them move from Eldoret to Malindi, Mombasa to Murang’a, Nakuru to Kitale and from Kericho to Kiambu.
The MPs were also eager to be photographed by the media during the recent Gema and Kamatusa meetings in Limuru and Eldoret.
An MP who spoke to the Sunday Nation under the cover of anonymity revealed that politicians are “facilitated” to attend the rallies, mostly defined by their rhetoric against the suspects’ prosecution.
“We are committed to show our solidarity with our leaders using our own resources, but if one is kind enough to give you some cash for fuel then declining would be unAfrican,” said the MP.
He said amounts range from Sh20,000 to Sh100,000 “depending on your seniority and influence”.
The MP further indicated that some politicians, especially those from Central Kenya and Rift Valley, were keen to appear close to the suspects with an eye to the coming General Election.
Mr Kenyatta and Mr Ruto, who have declared that they will contest the presidency, draw huge support from their home bases of Central Kenya and the Rift Valley.
“They (Ruto-Uhuru allies) fear that they might be branded pro-ICC by their rivals and lose their seats if they don’t appear at the rallies,” said the MP.
However, accusations are emerging that the politicians are exploiting the ICC cases in order to secure their positions.
Senior counsel Paul Muite accuses Mr Kenyatta’s supporters of exploiting his situation for political gain and cautioned that they are doing him more harm than good. Mr Muite said the Ruto-Uhuru supporters were weeping louder than the two accused persons. “They don’t care what happens to Uhuru.”
“They want to create euphoria and ride on it to secure seats as senators, MPs and members of the county assembly,” said the lawyer who advised Mr Kenyatta to take time and reflect on the motivations of his supporters. Mr Muite is also a presidential aspirant.
During the Limuru meeting of leaders from the Kikuyu, Embu and Meru communities, Mr Kenyatta was anointed their presidential candidate.
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It was also resolved that the ICC and United Nations Security Council be petitioned to delay the trials until after the election. In the Eldoret talks, Mr Ruto, too, was declared the leader of the Kalenjin, and it was also agreed that some mechanism be deployed to delay the case.
Sobering piece
Writing in this paper last week, former Trade minister Mukhisa Kituyi gave a most sobering piece of advice to Mr Kenyatta. Addressing him as ndugu yangu (my brother), he cautioned Mr Kenyatta to re-assess what drives his followers, saying some were only out to gain from him.
“They are not building you, my friend. They want you to build them,” he said, and advised the Kanu leader to listen to people who tell him “uncomfortable truths”.
“They are more important to your future than those choruses of hypocrites that will praise the king’s clothes (nakedness).”
Mr Muite is also cautioned that Mr Kenyatta’s supporters were likely to compromise his situation at the ICC, citing cases in which some of them have described the institution as a kangaroo court and called for non-co-operation.
Ruto ally Ainamoi MP Benjamin Lang’at and who has been a constant feature at the political rallies, dismissed claims that they were milking the suspects’ situation and challenged other politicians who are complaining to follow suit “if they thought there was political profit in the venture”.
“We are sincere in our discipleship, and we are determined to show to the whole world that we are serious in our campaign to petition the court to delay the proceedings,” he said.
His Mutito counterpart, Mr Kiema Kilonzo, who has attended some of the rallies, argues that politicians from the eastern part of the country were not keen to benefit from the suspects’ popularity because they “have no influence in Ukambani”.
“It could be true for politicians in Rift Valley and Central Kenya where Mr Kenyatta and Mr Ruto wield huge influence but not in Ukambani.”
Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka is among key politicians who have come out to express discomfort at suggestions that they hope to benefit from the prosecution of the two leaders.
“It is hurting me that some people claim that I am waiting to benefit from any difficulties faced by my friends Uhuru and Ruto,” he told one of the rallies in Eldoret.
Mr Kenyatta and Mr Ruto’s allies have fuelled rhetoric against the court which they claim is being used to scew Kenyan politics in favour of a particular presidential contender.
But Mr Muite advises the two suspects that politics would not change the ICC case and proposed that Mr Kenyatta adopt a sober approach and spend more time with his lawyers.
He also challenged PNU members to reflect on why the ICC prosecutor believes Mr Kenyatta bears the highest responsibility for the 2007/8 violence yet he was not a presidential candidate.

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