WALK TALL: President of Coca-Cola Company Europe, Asia and Africa regions Nathan Kalumbu with William Ruto at the DP?s residence in Karen yesterday.
NATIONAL Assembly members yesterday asked in Parliament for government to clarify reports that Deputy President William Ruto has been 'fixed' at the ICC by officials in the Office of the President.
Deputy Minority Leader and Gem MP Jakoyo Midiwo asked why some Jubilee MPs are threatening to block President Uhuru Kenyatta from traveling to The Hague yet Ruto's trial has already started. "What is so special about President Uhuru?” Midiwo asked.
"It is a substantive rumour at this point," said State House spokesman Manoah Esipisu yesterday in response to a question at yesterday's press conference of whether Ruto is being sabotaged.
Midiwo said some government officials who “oversaw” the 2008 post election violence are still in office and they should resign. Endebess MP Robert Pukose also claimed that some government officials are sabotaging Ruto over his ICC case.
Leader of Majority Adan Duale insisted that URP and TNA are united in the Jubilee coalition. “There is nobody in government who is fixing the able Deputy President. This is the politics that will play,” Duale told the MPs.
“We are united, we are firm and we are ready to implement the coalition manifesto under the two great leaders,” he added. Duale, who speaks for the executive in the National Assembly, refuted claims by some MPs that some government officials plan to create instability in Kenya if Uhuru has to travel to Hague.
He said that government has no reports that some foreign-funded NGOs plan to hold demonstrations and cause chaos if Uhuru does not go to The Hague.
Kieni MP James Kanini Kega claimed that some NGOs are recruiting youths and promising to pay them to participate in demonstrations if Uhuru does not go.
Kitutu Masaba MP Timothy Bosire Some asked why the President has not commented on statements by some MPs that they will mobilise Kenyans to paralyse operations Jomo Kenyatta International Airport if he tries to go to the Hague.
Suba MP John Mbadi said action should be taken against those MPs who have threatened to block JKIA. Mbadi claimed that the demos could lead to instability to support the African Union application to the UN Security Council that Uhuru's trial should be suspended. Juja MP Francis Waititu reiterated that he will resign as an MP if Uhuru travels to The Hague.
Yesterday, Elegeyo Marakwet senator Kipchumba Murkomen tweeted, “Those in public service accused of coaching witnesses owed allegiance to the past two coalition principals and targeted both Uhuru and Ruto,” apparently targeting former President Mwai Kibaki and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
Meanwhile Deputy President William Ruto's lawyer Karim Khan yesterday dismissed Interior Security principal secretary Mutea Iringo's demand for an apology.
Khan said he had received an unsigned letter allegedly sent by Iringo but could not comment further on the matter. Last week Ruto's defence team alleged that various government officials had assisted in collecting evidence against Ruto.
"Are you aware that there was a group of individuals comprising, Stephen Tarus, Martha Karua, Mutea Iringo, Nancy Gitau, Stephen Mugwira, Abraham Limo, William Rono and Bethuel Ruto that were working together to identify witnesses and collect information to present to the Waki Commission?" Shyamala Alagendra asked witness 189 at the ICC last week.
"It is not appropriate to engage in collateral litigation through the press. Suffice to say that my defence team has been working tirelessly to investigate the genesis of this case against William Ruto and to present reliable, authentic and truthful evidence before the court," Khan said yesterday.
Iringo wrote to Khan on Tuesday demanding that Ruto's defence team apologise as the allegations were 'false, unfair and without any basis' adding that he expected the Ruto defence team to "avoid playing political games."
"I have never been part of any plans to offer cash and protection to witnesses who would testify against the Deputy President," Iringo wrote to Khan.
Over the weekend Kericho senator Charles Keter called for the resignation of senior officials whom he said had identified witnesses against Ruto.
"We cannot keep on sharing power with such individuals. Some of us are not ready to negotiate with such people. We are not going to do that because we want the truth to prevail and we do not know where the loyalty of these people really is," Keter said.
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