‘Chaos didn’t start with 2007 polls’

Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta on Thursday dismissed allegations that he held meetings with Mungiki members, including two at State House, to plan revenge attacks in Naivasha and Nakuru.

Depicting himself as a crusader for a peaceful and united Kenya, Mr Kenyatta denied ever meeting outlawed Mungiki sect leaders at any other venues named by prosecution Witness No 4, who apparently is well known to him. (READ: Uhuru Kenyatta's private army)

The Finance minister, who took the bold decision to be his own witness, was led through the testimony by his lead lawyer Steven Kay. Local Government assistant minister Lewis Nguyai is his other witness.

He traced the first time he entered politics to vie for a parliamentary seat in 1997, his presidential candidature and campaigns in 2002, his close association with the Orange side during the 2005 referendum campaigns and his decision to support President Kibaki in the 2007 elections.

Worth noting in his testimony was the consistent clashes that have marked each election year since the introduction of multiparty politics in 1992.

“There have been election-related violence since the advent of multi-party politics in 1992.

“The ethnic tensions usually occur where communities supporting a particular party organise to evict those not supporting their party.

“It (violence) is more ethnic-based and it is more about presidential elections,” he said.

Mr Kenyatta explained that when he decided to take on President Kibaki, members of his Kikuyu community were convinced that he was being pushed by then President Daniel arap Moi to divide the Kikuyu vote and also continue the former Head of State’s rule.

Mr Kenyatta is accused of mobilising members of the Mungiki sect to carry out revenge attacks against ODM supporters in Naivasha by planning, raising funds and transporting them to the venue of attacks. Most of the charges are based on the testimony of Witness 4.

On Thursday, Mr Kenyatta said he had never met the prosecution’s Witness 4 and also denied that on November 17, 2007, he met the witness and other Mungiki leaders for a meeting at Yaya Centre.

He said that he had been to the Yaya Centre with his wife and children but would never take his political meetings there.

“Yaya Centre is not a meeting place. I have never been to the place with people I work with. Only with my family as my wife does her shopping there,” said Mr Kenyatta.

Presidential agent

Mr Kenyatta said that he was a presidential agent and was at the KICC that housed the national tally centre from the night December 27, 2007.

He said that they “lived” at the KICC until the final results were announced. He told the court that the atmosphere was highly charged and that the tension increased as President Kibaki opened a gap against Mr Odinga.

Mr Kenyatta said that ODM started saying that the election had been rigged, adding that they had earlier claimed that there was a plan for the polls to be stolen.

He denied that there was an event that involved Mungiki on December 30, 2007, at State House.