MPs slam report of fresh ICC investigation against Deputy President Ruto

By Samuel Ouma [caption id="attachment_53943" align="alignleft" width="660"] William Ruto[/caption] A section of Members of Parliament from the ruling party, Jubilee, have dismissed reports of fresh probe by the International Criminal Court (ICC) to revive crimes against humanity case against the deputy president William Ruto. The leaders claimed that the case is being pursued by Ruto’s adversaries who employ every means to curtail his presidential bid.  They labeled such leaders selfish saying they are after derailing country’s development. “These so-called ICC reports are not coming from heaven but from within; those propagating it are the opponents of the people. But no evil scheme will stop an idea whose time has come,” reiterated Kikuyu Member of Parliament Kimani Ichungwa. The leaders who accompanied Ruto to a church service in Nyeri County termed the issue as one aimed at distracting both President and Ruto from Big Four agenda of development which include Universal healthcare, food security, house affordability and manufacturing. On his part, Tetu Member of Parliament James Gichuhi said Ruto had no hand in the allegations which prosecution had taken against him. “You were taken in the Netherlands with the President, you emerged victorious. You will still emerge a winner in this episodic witch-hunt, and eventually be our president,” said Mr. Gichuhi. They also lauded the President and his deputy for creating conducive environment for development and peaceful co-existence among Kenyans. Last week the ICC President Chille Eboe Osuji, one of the judges who listened to the case revealed to the United Nations new information relating to the case have been discovered and the court my consider re-opening it. “The office of the prosecutor continued to receive information on the commission of crimes against humanity during the post-election violence of 2007-2008,” read the annual report. The case against Ruto and journalist Joshua Sang was terminated in April 2016 on the ground of insufficient evidence. The prosecutor decry over witness tampering and political peddling. Fierce chaos that rocked the East African country after 2007 presidential election outcome left 600,000 people homeless and more than 1,300 people lost their lives. Case against President Uhuru Kenyatta, former Industrialization Minister Henry Kosgey, former Secretary to the Cabinet Francis Muthaura and former police chief Mohamed Hussein Ali was also dropped by the Hague over insufficient evidence.