Cold war in Jubilee as Ruto allies lock TNA MPs out of URP prayers on ICC

Deputy President William Ruto

The International Criminal Court’s (ICC) case against Deputy President William Ruto is once again threatening the Jubilee coalition amid accusations that the State is not doing enough to save the DP.

United Republican Party (URP) MPs openly expressed reservations over the State’s commitment to the case following the ruling by ICC judges to admit prior recorded testimonies of five hostile witnesses in the case against Ruto.

For the first time since the joint 2011 prayer meetings that led to the formation of the Jubilee alliance that swept President Uhuru Kenyatta and Ruto to power, the DP's allies are planning a Sunday meeting that they insist will be a purely Kalenjin affair.

Three South Rift MPs, Bernard Bett (Bomet East), Paul Bii (Chepalungu) and Ronald Tonui (Bomet Central) and Wilfred Lesan (Bomet senator), on Tuesday stepped up the disquiet by taking their grievances to a press conference at Parliament Buildings.

"I want to address the local dynamics. It seems after dropping of the two cases, that of (President) Uhuru and Francis Muthaura, we are no longer seeing the country's top leadership, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, lobbying. It looks like the DP has been dumped," Mr Tunoi claimed.

And Elgeyo Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen, a close ally of the deputy president, has said it is now time for those who allegedly fixed Ruto to come clean.

"We are now demanding that those who fixed the two should come out and say so. We want them to own up to their lies and help us end this case," said Mr Murkomen.

In past ICC proceedings, Ruto's lawyers named senior public officials under then President Kibaki's government, that the defence claimed orchestrated a Party of National Unity plot against Ruto, who was then a strong ally of Opposition leader Raila Odinga.

Among those named were officials whom President Kenyatta retained when he and Ruto assumed power in April 2013.

Murkomen and Kericho Senator Charles Keter have said Sunday's meeting at Kiptororo shrine in Mau forest, Kuresoi will be a Kalenjin affair although some MPs from Uhuru's The National Alliance (TNA) party have insisted they would attend.

"There is a reason why we chose Kuresoi and not Kapkatet in Eldoret. We appreciate the support they (Jubilee partners) continue to give us but this Sunday is just for us as a community. We need to talk among ourselves," said Murkomen.

Mr Keter added: "The prayers will be for the ICC cases against the two."

And the TNA legislators now say they too are organising a prayer meeting in Mt Kenya region at Ruiru stadium on September 13 to pray for Ruto and all leaders will be invited.

Gatundu Central MP Moses Kuria said he was in touch with Ruiru's Esther Gathogo to plan the meeting.

"During the prayer rally, we are going to make a major announcement that will shake the whole country and determine the direction the case facing the two will take," Mr Kuria said.

National Assembly Majority Leader Adan Daule (Garissa Township) dismissed claims by the Rift Valley leaders that the DP is not getting Government support.

"Jubilee has put in place the necessary measures because we believe the DP has no case to answer. We are sure the Government has not forsaken the DP. As the official political spokesperson of Jubilee coalition, we are going to reaffirm our position on this matter in Kuresoi over the weekend. Our full membership will be present during the prayer meeting," said Mr Duale.

Fair trial

He added: "We are going to send our lawyers and enforce it with prayers. We will lobby the Assembly of State Parties and ensure the Ruto case collapses. We will shame the ICC like we did with the President's case. Ultimately the DP will be vindicated."

Thursday, a State House Official, Dennis Itumbi, posted on social media that his petition to the constitutional court on the ICC is ready, and he would be challenging the decision to use recanted evidence against Ruto, which is against the principles of fair trial.

TNA MPs insist the Jubilee government is determined to end the case against Ruto and his co-accused journalist Joshua Sang. They asked their URP colleagues not to fall for schemes by opponents who want to divide the governing coalition.

"Some enemies have started claiming that we have abandoned Ruto and Sang but let these prophets of doom understand that we are solidly behind the two gentlemen until their ICC cases are concluded," said Senator Daniel Karaba.

Gichugu MP Njogu Barua claimed Jubilee had intelligence that there were some people sowing seeds of discord to split the governing coalition.

South Imenti's Kathuri Murungi argued: "This is the high time for the Jubilee coalition to stick together so that we can handle the issue collectively. The DP is part of government.  Our colleagues may be confusing Kenyans by saying that the Government has left him alone at the ICC. Are they insinuating that he is not part of the Government?"

Meru County Woman Representative Florence Kajuju, however, acknowledged the complaints by Rift Valley MPs are genuine arguing the fire of fighting the ICC cases had cooled down considerably since the court dropped charges against Uhuru. Ms Kajuju said the Attorney General's office should do more to support Ruto's defence.

"We would want to see the AG actively participating there. He could appoint a permanent counsel to hold brief for the Government and to bolster Ruto's defence. We want to see more action in the diplomatic circles to have the ICC soften its stand on prosecuting our number two man," said Kajuju.

But Alfred Keter (Nandi Hills) backed the four MPs from South Rift region, alleging that the Government is quiet on the matter.

No zeal

"We continue to register our displeasure with the way our brothers are being treated," said Marakwet East MP Kangogo Bowen.

But Mr Keter, a close ally of the DP, denied any ill feelings among Rift Valley leaders that the Government has slowed down on ICC matters.

"The DP is part and parcel of this government. There have been a lot of undercurrents but this does not mean nothing is happening," said Keter.

He added: "I strongly disagree that the DP has been abandoned by the government. He is the government, how can he be abandoned?"

And CORD MPs Kisoi Munyao (Mbooni), John Mbadi (Suba), Eseli Simiyu (Tongaren) and Simba Arati (Dagoretti North) and Mombasa Senator Hassan Omar backed the grievances by URP MPs and questioned the absence of the zeal to rally the African Union to lobby for the termination of the ICC cases.

"We are seeing that there is no gusto to help the DP. It seems that TNA has gotten what they wanted using Ruto and no longer desire to help yet this is the time he needs them most," Mr Munyao claimed.