Carry your own cross, Uhuru Kenyatta told

Machakos Senator Johnstone Muthama has said the country should not be dragged into the cases facing the President and his deputy, saying, the two should pursue the cases as individuals.

Mr Muthama said the country needed to remain in the Rome Statute, arguing, the International Criminal Court (ICC) prevented a repeat of violence during elections in March because leaders and Kenyans feared being pursued by the court.

“Let President Kenyatta and Deputy President William Ruto pursue their cases at the Hague, but the country should not be dragged into the matter with calls to pull out of the Rome Statute,” he said.

On arguments that the country had turned a new leaf and people had chosen to be peaceful, Mr Muthama said it was only because of the ICC threat that politicians feared to instigate violence in March.

The Machakos Senator said the African leaders who are pushing, through the African Union (AU), for withdrawal from the Rome Statute were insincere. Most were behind human rights abuses in their own countries, and the ICC was created to protect people against abusive leaders, he added.

Mr Muthama was speaking during a church fund-raiser at the African Brotherhood Church in Nairobi.

President Kenyatta, his Deputy William Ruto and former radio broadcaster Joshua Sang are facing charges of crimes against humanity during the 2008 post-election violence.

Mr Ruto’s and Mr Sang’s case is ongoing in The Hague.

Mr Muthama also criticised Police Inspector-General David Kimaiyo for investigating journalists over their coverage of the Westgate shopping mall terrorist attack.