THREE GOVERNMENT ministers, including the deputy prime minister, are among six Kenyans accused by the International Criminal Court of crimes against humanity for their roles in orchestrating the violence that followed the country’s disputed 2007 elections.
Deputy prime minister and finance minister Uhuru Kenyatta and William Ruto, the most powerful politician in the Rift Valley, where most of the violence occurred, were the highest profile suspects named by the court’s chief prosecutor, Luis Moreno-Ocampo, yesterday. Mr Kenyatta is the son of the country’s founding president, Jomo Kenyatta.
Former police chief Maj Gen Mohammed Hussein Ali; head of the civil service Francis Muthaura; the industrialisation minister; and a radio journalist were also on the list.
“These were not just crimes against innocent Kenyans”, said Mr Ocampo.
“They were crimes against humanity as a whole. By breaking the cycle of impunity for massive crimes, victims and their families can have justice. And Kenyans can pave the way to peaceful elections in 2012.”
Over 1,200 people died in the violence that followed the December 2007 poll, in which the leader of the opposition Raila Odinga accused president Mwai Kibaki of rigging his re-election.
A power sharing agreement, which made Mr Odinga prime minister, helped bring the violence to an end.
However, there are fears that the naming of such prominent individuals could further destabilise the power-sharing government ahead of elections in 2012.
Kenya’s health minister Beth Mugo has already said that foreigners cannot be allowed to “drag this country to the dogs”, while Mr Kibaki has reiterated plans to set up a local court to try suspects, a move that some analysts regard as a means of undermining the ICC’s work. The failure to prosecute those behind the post-election violence was the main reason the ICC decided to step in.
In a statement, Mr Kibaki called for calm. “I wish to state that the people who have been mentioned have not yet been fully investigated. Calls for action to be taken against them are therefore prejudicial, pre-emptive and against the rules of natural justice.” All six will be served with court summons but can be arrested if they fail to answer them.
The mood on the streets of Nairobi was mixed. Although there was relief that prosecutions are finally pending, some said the main perpetrators had evaded prosecution. “The real leaders have gotten off,” said Josephine Kamanthe, a shop assistant.