Sunday, July 22, 2012

Kiai: Uhuru, Ruto unfit for high office


Kiai: Uhuru, Ruto unfit for high office

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United Nations Special Rapporteur Maina Kiai has maintained that Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta and Eldoret North MP William Ruto are not qualified to contest the Kenyan presidency July 20, 2012. FILE
United Nations Special Rapporteur Maina Kiai has maintained that Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta and Eldoret North MP William Ruto are not qualified to contest the Kenyan presidency July 20, 2012. FILE 
By ELISHA OTIENO
Posted  Saturday, July 21  2012 at  11:50
United Nations Special Rapporteur Maina Kiai has maintained that Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta and Eldoret North MP William Ruto are not qualified to contest the Kenyan presidency.
Mr Kiai, who is the UN Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, said Mr Kenyatta and Mr Ruto should reconsider their ambitions for the top job in a bid "to bring honour, respect and dignity to the position of Kenya’s presidency".
He said the two politicians must consider the implications of them appearing before the International Criminal Court (ICC) to stand trial for crimes against humanity in the event they are elected president.
"How will the government run if the President or his deputy or both are facing trials at the ICC and whose proceedings they must attend in  person?” posed the human rights activist during a live NTV talk show – The Trend – on Friday night.
Mr Kiai said Mr Kenyatta and Mr Ruto's supporters have the option of supporting another presidential aspirant whose “vision and policies are similar to the duo”.
The former Kenya National Commission on Human Rights Commission (KNCHR) chairman said the threshold of integrity must remain high in the Judiciary, Executive and Parliament.
"The Judiciary has already set the tone and other arms of government must follow suit. This is what will see an end to impunity in this country,” he said.
"Crimes against humanity are very serious in the world and cannot be wished away like a petty crime. And although the two are innocent until proven guilty, they must consider the fate of Kenya in the event they are elected to office."
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A High Court ruling on the eligibility of both Mr Ruto and Mr Kenyatta to contest the presidency is expected to be delivered later in the month.
And Mr Kiai announced that he will not be seeking any political office  in the forthcoming General Election, insisting that “ I am comfortable in my current job of sensitising people to put in place accountable leadership”.
Last  Wednesday,  the activist alongside a former Ethics PS John Githongo and Mr Ndung’u Wainaina of the International Centre for Policy and Conflict clashed with Parliament's Defence and Foreign Relations Committee  investigating the controversial dossier that accused Britain of involvement in an alleged conspiracy over the ICC cases.
This prompted the MPs to adjourn the meeting and schedule later dates when they will appear separately for questioning.
The ICC accuses Mr Kenyatta, Mr Ruto, former head of public service Francis Muthaura and radio presenter Joshua arap Sang of bearing the greatest responsibility in the 2007/08 post election violence that left 1,133 people killed and 650,000 displaced.
In Case One, Mr Ruto and Mr Sang face crimes against humanity charges including murder, forcible transfer of population or deportation and persecution
In Case Two, Mr Kenyatta and Mr Muthaura will seek to ward off charges of murder, rape, forcible transfer of populations or deportation, persecution.

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