Maathai funeral to match that of VP Wamalwa

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By WALTER MENYA wmenya@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted  Thursday, September 29  2011 at  22:30

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Prof Wangari Maathai’s State funeral will be similar to that of former Vice President Kijana Wamalwa.

The government on Thursday said preparations begin in earnest on Friday.

Government Spokesman Dr Alfred Mutua said it will be “similar to Wamalwa’s”. The funeral committee has set a tentative burial date of October 11.

Committee chairman Njeru Kathangu told the press at Holy Family Basilica that they had concurrence of the family.

Two weeks of mourning

President Kibaki declared two weeks of mourning for Mr Wamalwa, who died in a London hospital in 2003. Mr Wamalwa got a gun salute as flags flew at half-mast. (READ: Maathai to be accorded State funeral)

The President also announced a State funeral and two days of mourning for Prof Maathai during which the flag would fly at half mast. The two days of mourning end on Friday.

Mr Wamalwa’s family turned down a government offer to bury him at Heroes Corner in Jamhuri Park.

And, according to Dr Mutua, the government will respect whatever Prof Maathai’s family wishes.

“The government is keen to do two things — to respect the wishes of the family and to give her a befitting send-off, something similar to Wamalwa’s that befits her stature,” said Dr Mutua. (SEE IN PICTURES:Wangari Maathai)

During a State funeral, government functionaries take over the event entirely and control the programme in consultation with the family.

The State could also assist with hospital bills Prof Maathai might have incurred.

“It is a great honour but could also be a ploy to stop Maathai’s comrades from criticising the State as they will control the programme,” former Subukia MP Koigi Wamwere observed.

Mr Wamwere witnessed the funerals of founding president Jomo Kenyatta and former VP Wamalwa.

“The State, for all intents and purposes, becomes the principal mourner. Military and political leaders are heavily involved, with the deceased’s friends relegated,” he said.

Mr Wamwere also said the Nobel Laureate’s final resting place should be at the Heroes Corner.

Lawyer Paul Muite said the State funeral accorded to Prof Maathai “basically symbolises the respect” the nation has bestowed upon her.

He however, said the offer was a little too late. “It is embarrassing that we should give her a State funeral when we never accorded her recognition when she was alive,” Mr Muite said.

At the same time, the military has seconded a representative to join the funeral committee that includes two government representatives.

The committee’s first meeting will be held on Friday, said Dr Mutua.

“There is nothing much we can tell the media as far as preparations are concerned until after the meeting,” he said.

Uhuru blames violence on Raila

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By MURITHI MUTIGA in The Hague mmutiga@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted  Thursday, September 29  2011 at  22:30

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Finance minister Uhuru Kenyatta on Thursday took the stand at the International Criminal Court to defend himself against allegations of crimes against humanity.

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In a dramatic confrontation with his accuser, ICC chief prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo, Mr Kenyatta denied any links with the outlawed Mungiki sect. (READ: Ocampo claims Uhuru-Mungiki link)

Mr Kenyatta blamed Prime Minister Raila Odinga for the violence which swept the nation following the last elections, saying he bore ultimate “political responsibility” for failing to stop it.

Mr Kenyatta said Mr Odinga failed to rein in his supporters who were aggrieved by the results announced by the electoral commission.

“I will not say that he is criminally responsible because I have no evidence,” said Mr Kenyatta in response to a question by Mr Moreno-Ocampo.

“He had political responsibility. If he did not hold press conferences using strong language in that period, if he followed due process and went to court and lastly had he used his political voice to tell supporters to stop the violence, the level of violence would not have been what it was.”

Mr Kenyatta said he could not link the rest of the leadership of ODM with the violence. “He who bears responsibility is the leader. The leader was Raila Odinga. He was the flag-bearer.”

Mr Kenyatta’s statement came at the end of a day in which he sought to cast himself as a nationalist and statesman who could not have incited the violence in which dozens of Kenyans lost their lives in Naivasha and Nakuru. (READ: Uhuru and Muthaura ‘organised attacks’)

Dressed in a dark suit, light blue shirt and striped purple tie to match, Mr Kenyatta spent six hours offering evidence to judges in a tense Courtroom Number One in The Hague.

Mr Kenyatta drew on his political career, his multi-ethnic group of allies and the varied positions he has taken on national issues to paint a profile of what he hoped the judges would conclude was a civilised and urbane politician rather than a war criminal.

“My politics at the time (in 2002), and it still is today, is that we need a united Kenya. All communities need to feel that they are accommodated and that they are part and parcel of the society.”

Mr Kenyatta cited key moments in his political career when he said he went against the grain of expectations in his native central Kenya.

He said that his decision to contest the presidency against fellow Kikuyu candidate Mwai Kibaki in 2002, his swift concession of defeat after that election and his campaign for the “No” side during the 2005 referendum demonstrated his nationalist credentials.

“(When I ran for presidency in 2002) there was a strong feeling that maybe I was out to divide the Kikuyu vote.

“There was a mood developing that there was need to replace Kanu because President Moi had been in power for 24 years.

“Many felt that Moi was using me to continue his rule. Many felt that I was, as they called it at the time, a ‘project’ of the former president.”

He said that he only attended fund-raisers to help internally displaced people.Mr Kenyatta denied financing atrocities committed by the Mungiki, saying he could not be a commander of the gang because he had never been a member of the sect. (READ:Uhuru Kenyatta's private army)

His mention of Mr Odinga, continued a theme initially explored by his lawyer Steven Kay that ODM leaders incited the violence.

Thursday’s sessions were the most eagerly anticipated portion of the hearings which will determine whether Mr Kenyatta, Civil Service head Francis Muthaura and Postmaster-General Hussein Ali should be committed to trial for the violence in which hundreds of civilians were killed in Naivasha and Nakuru at the end of January 2008.

The public gallery was filled to capacity with observers, including Mr Kenyatta’s wife Margaret, and senior members of the wider Kenyatta family — Cabinet minister Beth Mugo and former Kenya Airports Authority chief George Muhoho — present. (SEE IN PICTURES: Uhuru, Muthaura, Ali at the ICC)

Journalists from Dutch media outlets and major international news agencies also attended the hearings having stayed away since the first day of the hearings.

Inside the courtroom there was a palpable sense of tension with Mr Kenyatta, at a light brown table in the middle of the court, as the focus of attention.

For the first time since the opening statements were issued, Mr Moreno-Ocampo attended the hearings and put questions to the minister.

Mr Kenyatta’s defence team tried to cast the evidence Mr Moreno-Ocampo’s side was relying on as the product of witnesses who were unreliable.

The minister gave accounts of his movements on several key dates when he is said to have attended planning meetings to plot the violence.

Observing tallying

He said that December 30, 2007, when he is said to have held court with the Mungiki in State House, was spent at Kenyatta International Conference Centre where he was observing the tallying of the presidential vote. (READ: State House and city club linked to chaos)

Mr Kenyatta said he went to State House later that day to attend the swearing-in ceremony before heading home to sleep.

He said he attended a meeting of PNU parliamentary candidates on November 26, 2007, when he is said to have attended another meeting with the Mungiki in State House.

The Finance minister said that allegations that he attended a meeting with Mungiki members at a ground floor restaurant in Yaya Centre were equally untrue.

“The Yaya Centre is not really a meeting place. It is a place where my wife does shopping and I have gone there occasionally with her and our children.”

Uhuru supporters ask for prayers

THURSDAY, 29 SEPTEMBER 2011 00:05 BY JESSE MWANGI

SUSPECT: Head of Public Service Muthaura (C) with his son Paul (R) and his legal team outside the ICC court yesterday. Photo/Lawrence Maingi

Supporters of Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta yesterday held a meeting in Murang'a and appealed to Kenyans to pray for his victory. Led by former MP for Kandara  Joshua Toro, the supporters are insisting that he is innocent.

Toro also said that a section of leaders are happy over the predicament facing Uhuru. He said the supperters are using all means to see that Uhuru participates in the next general election. "We know of some people who are praying day and night that ICC will confirm the charges against the DPM. I'm hereby urging Kenyans to pray for his success in the case," said Toro.

Murang’a residents are keenly following the confirmation of charges hearings against Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta, civil service boss Francis Muthaura and Postmaster General Hussein Ali. Many have been seen glued to TV sets in bars and hotels which are making sure their clients get the best of ICC. The interest has been heightened following the mention of Environment minister John Michuki, who is the MP for Kangema, and the mention of the outlawed Mungiki sect.

The ICC prosecutorial team led by Mr Louis Moreno-Ocampo has mentioned Mr Michuki in its submissions and said the banned Mungiki sect was used to maim anti-PNU supporters following the disputed 2007 presidential polls. Mr Ocampo alleges that Mr Michuki who is also MP for Kangema was involved in planning Mungiki attacks by asking Mr Ali who was then the police commissioner to create a safe zone for the sect’s operations.

The Mungiki sect traces some of its roots to Murang’a and was and is still dreaded for its heinous and merciless killings to those opposed to its operations. However a government operations form the area in 2008 helped quell the illegal sect although residents still live in fear of the group.

Although many are appalled by those revelations, they are optimistic that Mr Kenyatta will be cleared by the court of any wrong doing. “I may not have any facts to prove that he (Kenyatta) is innocent but all I know is that he was helping people during the chaos, he will be found innocent,” said Mr Joseph Kamau, a resident in Murang’a town.

And during a prayer service held on behalf of Mr Kenyatta, Mr Ali and Mr Muthaura by Kikuyu elders at Mukurwe wa Nyagathanga shrine, they were was optimistic that the DPM would be cleared by the court and return home triumphantly. “We are sure that Uhuru will be cleared as he did nothing wrong, all he did was help our people and at the same time called for peace,”  said their National chairman Wachira Kiago .