Raila courted Mungiki, ICC told

Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga went to great lengths to get the support of the outlawed Mungiki group during the 2007 and 2013 general election, the International Criminal Court (ICC) was Thursday told.

The lawyer representing Deputy President William Ruto, Mr Karim Khan, played video clips showing Mungiki leader Maina Njenga confessing his support and admiration for Mr Odinga.

He produced photos showing Mr Njenga embracing Mr Odinga at a public function and a document in which the Mungiki leader claims a victory for the former PM in the 2013 election would be a triumph for Kikuyu youth.

But the second witness in the Ruto trial, designated Witness Number 326, was at pains to deny Mr Odinga’s association with the Mungiki leader in both the 2007 and 2013 polls, only maintaining that Mr Odinga had attempted to secure the support of the Kikuyu community.

Mr Khan at one point during his cross-examination of the witness suggested that Mr Odinga provided reading material for Mr Njenga, including a book, The 48 laws of Power, while Mr Njenga was in prison.

However, the witness 326 resisted attempts by Mr Khan, who was cross-examining him, to establish that Mr Odinga had any relationship with Mungiki through the group’s leader, Mr Njenga.
Formation of the party

The defence also sought to demonstrate that the witness did not know the structures of ODM and that neither was he even there at the formation of the party as he had told the prosecution, a suggestion that the witness rejected.

“I put it to you that you have been projecting yourself from the first time when you were screened in 2012 that you know much more about ODM than you do?” Mr Khan challenged.

“I have knowledge because I worked there,” the witness said.

On the relationship between Mr Odinga and Mungiki, Mr Khan was also met with resistance with the witness denying knowledge that such a relationship existed.

Mr Khan then asked if the witness was aware of the group that was led by Mr Njenga to which the witness responded: “I have not followed their leadership system. I have heard Maina Njenga’s name associated with the Mungiki.”

He also said he was not privy to details of Mungiki membership.

Khan: Are you aware Maina Njenga was supporting Raila Odinga in 2007?

Witness: I am not aware of that but I am aware some Kikuyus were supporting Raila Odinga. The witness told Mr Khan that if Mr Njenga was supporting Mr Odinga, then it was at a personal level.
The defence then played a news clip from an interview that KTN had with Mr Njenga as Mr Khan attempted to establish the link.

In the video, Mr Njenga is heard saying: “If there is a chance of talking to Raila Odinga shida iko wapi? (where is the problem?).”

‘No’ campaign

Mr Njenga also confirms having supported the ‘No’ campaign against the draft constitution at the 2005 referendum and similarly during the 2007 General Election and concludes by saying: “Mimi binafsi nilitaka Raila Odinga akuwe rais (In my personal capacity I wanted Raila Odinga to become the president).”

After watching the video clip, the witness responded, “From what I can see I can believe because he (Mr Njenga) is the one speaking.”

Mr Khan’s insistent questioning drew presiding judge Chile Eboe-Osuji to intervene, asking Mr Khan to desist from eliciting opinion from the witness.The witness said he could not relate what took place in the run up to the 2007 election to 2013.

On the witness’s knowledge of the formation of ODM, Mr Khan cited three meetings all of which the witness said he did not attend.

After a brief period of private session, the witness was questioned on his knowledge of ODM offices in Nairobi. In his statement, he had reportedly mentioned only three — Pentagon House, Orange House and Raila Odinga Centre.

But Mr Khan told the witness that there were three more buildings that ODM was using, namely Rainbow House, Titan House and 49 Communication House.

Additional reporting by Peter Leftie