We’re in 2012 race, say Hague duo

We will go to The Hague and come back in time for the 2012 General Election, Finance minister Uhuru Kenyatta and MP William Ruto have said.

The two, who are among six people accused by the International Criminal Court of instigating the 2007 post-election violence, promised to give Prime Minister Raila Odinga a run for his money.

“We will go to The Hague and come back because we know we are innocent. That is why we will be with you in 2012,” said Mr Kenyatta.

Consolidate support

They said they would consolidate their support in Central, Rift Valley and reach out to Western Kenya — represented at the rally by Saboti MP Eugene Wamalwa — and other “like-minded” regions to form a formidable team in 2012.

During the rally in Murang’a town that was attended by close to 30 MPs, Mr Kenyatta was unanimously endorsed to succeed President Kibaki and as the best candidate to “beat the common enemy”.

The PM and his allies in ODM were once again on the receiving end for what leaders said was his failure to defend those who helped him in the 2002 contest.

“I was there fighting for him, but now he is in the frontline saying that we should go to The Hague,” said Mr Ruto.

Mr Odinga was also criticised for his push to have top jobs filled by foreigners — a trend the leaders said indicated a lack of faith in Kenyans.

“How can a person who believes that all the available positions, including that of Chief Justice, can only be held by a foreigner say he is ready to become president? We will only end up giving up the country to foreigners,” added the Eldoret North MP.

The two leaders, who have been summoned to appear at The Hague early next month over the election violence, insisted they were innocent and that they would be exonerated. (READ: Ocampo Six ordered to appear at Hague)

“We went out and voted like the rest of Kenyans and went back home only to be faced with violence. How can we be blamed and yet we did not call Kenyans to violence,” wondered Mr Kenyatta.

He urged the Central Kenya community to rally behind one leader for the 2012 presidency. During the rally, Mr Kenyatta was also crowned as a Kikuyu elder.

Cabinet ministers John Michuki, Beth Mugo and Amos Kimunya endorsed the Finance minister’s candidature.

At the same time, Mr Kenyatta has claimed that Western powers were ganging up against the Kibaki administration for refusing to do business with them.

“They have a vendetta with Kenya after we refused to borrow from them, yet the country has made tremendous steps in infrastructural development,” he said at Saba Saba as he headed for the Murang’a rally.

Additional reporting by Oliver Musembi