RUTO LINKS HIS ICC CASE TO STATE HOUSE QUEST

Eldoret North MP William Ruto addresses university students from the Maasai community at 680 Hotel March 5, 2012. He said he is facing crimes against humanity charges at The Hague because he is a key presidential aspirant in the next General Election. DIANA NGILA 

By AGGREY MUTAMBO
Posted  Tuesday, March 6  2012 at  14:47

Eldoret MP William Ruto has said he is facing crimes against humanity charges at The Hague because he is a key presidential aspirant in the next General Election.

Speaking to university students from the Maasai community at the 680 Hotel in Nairobi Monday evening, Mr Ruto said he still believes the cases facing him were hatched from a conspiracy to have him locked out of the race by people he did not mention.

“The whole scheme is meant to ensure we rearrange the leadership of Kenya. But believe me you after thee elections, there will be no charges because the only reason we are facing charges is to prevent us from vying,” he told the gathering.

Outlining the policies of his United Republican Party (URP), Mr Ruto told the 300 students that he is an innocent man being persecuted by those opposed to his candidature.

“I am a man of great faith. I am persuaded that the devil will be ashamed (because) it is a conspiracy doomed to fail,” he said.

Mr Ruto, Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta, former civil service head Francis Muthaura and radio presenter Joshua arap Sang have been charged by the International Criminal Court (ICC) with crimes against humanity committed during the 2007/2008 post-election violence.

Mr Ruto and Mr Kenyatta have indicated they are firmly in the race to succeed President Kibaki in the next elections regardless of the charges. They have been conducting rallies to market their ideology under the G7 alliance.

The URP leader was accompanied by other legislators including Assistant Medical Services minister Kambi Kazungu who is the MP for Kaloleni, Aden Duale (Dujis), Francis Chachu (North Horr) and Mahmoud Ali (Moyale) all of whom have voiced their support for Mr Ruto.

Mr Duale hinted URP, while collaborating with other G7 members, would not back anyone else unless they prove they can marshal support around the country.

“We will only negotiate with other parties through URP and our leader (William Ruto). Even those in G7 alliance, we are telling them to put their house in order so we meet at the table. We will ask them to bring their people and if we have more numbers than them, we will be flag bearers,” he said.

Mr Ruto did not echo the sentiments but said he was hopeful he will be backed by others.

“In politics, there is no number two. Every politician runs to become number one,” he responded when a student sought to know whether he would volunteer to support Mr Kenyatta.

Mr Ruto challenged the students to use their votes to remove leaders who he said did not support democracy and development. 

He denied being a party hopper but claimed he left both ODM and later UDM because the leaders refused to listen to dissenting views (ODM) and refused to have party elections (UDM).

“We believed in democracy and we moved on. That’s why I am a proud member of URP. We had no other issues with them, we parted in peace," he said

While selling his party manifesto to the students, he tore into the current education system saying it does not match the needs of the country.

“Our education system seriously requires an overhaul. Our education must be affordable, accessible, of good quality and relevant to the 21st century."