ICC: Deputy PM testifies on role in Kenya poll chaos

Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta on Thursday took the stand at the International Criminal Court (ICC) to testify in his own case where he faces charges of crimes against humanity.

Mr Kenyatta began his testimony by giving a backgound of his political history guided by his lawyer, Mr Steven Kay. He largely dwelt on testimony against prosecution evidence and witnesses.

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

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.

Mr Kenyatta retraced his activities on November 25, 2007 saying that he was in Bomet in the morning and later joined President Kibaki at Uhuru Park for a youth rally. He said that he left for his house after the rally.

Mr Kenyatta said that he never met the Mungiki on November 26, 2007 at State House or on any other day. He added that Kanu was represented by one of its youth representatives as the youth presented their charter to the President at State House.

“I was not the organiser of the youth meeting at State House and did not attend. It was organised by the “Kibaki Tena” group but one of our youth coordinators was part of the presidential campaign team and was at the meeting,” said Mr Kenyatta.

He went on to explain why he was at a meeting at KICC where President Kibaki was to meet the PNU aspirants but the Head of State did not attend. He added that the then Vice-President, Mr Moody Awori informed them that the president had invited them for lunch at the InterContinental Hotel.

Final results

Mr Kenyatta said that he was a presidential agent and was at the KICC which housed the national elections tally centre from the night December 27, 2007. He added 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. He said that the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party started saying that the election was being rigged, adding that the same party had earlier said that there was a plan for the polls to be stolen.

After the elections results were announced, Mr Kenyatta said, that he went to State House for the swearing in of President Kibaki on December 30, 2007 adding that they had been informed that the ceremony would take place that afternoon.

Mr Kenyatta said that he went for the ceremony accompanied by one of his personal assistants, Mr Jomo Gecaga. He noted that there was no reception after the swearing in and he went back to his home to “sleep”.

He denied that there was an event that involved Mungiki on that day adding that most of the people who were in attendance were MPs, politicians and former MPs who were supporting the President Kibaki’s candidature.

Formal building

Mr Kenyatta also described State House. He said that it is very formal building that is heavily guarded and one cannot just walk in and out. He added that it has three entrances that all lead to major roads in Nairobi.

He also said that a Citi Hoppa bus could not just go in and out of State House without being noticed or attracting attention. He told the court that they are large green 20-25 seater buses and deal with commuting of Nairobi residents.

Mr Kenyatta said that the only time he remembers military trucks getting into State House was in the attempted 1982 coup. He said that the presence of army trucks at State House would not go unnoticed.

Mr Kenyatta said that he is a member of Nairobi Members’ Club where he was alleged to have met Mungiki leaders alongside Mr Muthaura. The DPM said that he was in his house on January 3, 2008 as there had been calls for mass action by ODM and therefore there were security fears. Mr Kenyatta also said that he did not go to the club in the entire month of January 2008.

Mr Kenyatta started his testimony by explaining his political history from 1997 when he contested for Parliament on a Kanu ticket. He said that in 1997, Kanu though was a national party, was made up of the minority communities as the big ethnic groupings were in other political parties.