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NAIROBI — President Uhuru Kenyatta yesterday ended days of anxiety among Kenyans by announcing that he would be honouring summons by the International Criminal Court ( ICC) to attend October 8 status conference. During a special sitting of the Parliament, the President also announced that he had appointed DP William Ruto as acting President during the time that he will be at The Hague. Article 147 (3) of the Constitution of Kenya spells out that when the President is absent or temporarily incapacitated, and during any other period that the President decides, the Deputy President shall act as the President.
The president however, made it clear he was attending the status conference in his personal capacity since he was charged before he became president and his status as Head of State is not on trial.
He said the move should not be used to set precedence for other sitting Heads of State to honour ICC summons. Uhuru maintained that he is innocent of all the accusations levelled against him and expressed optimism that the case will be terminated since even the prosecutor has admitted that there is no sufficient evidence to enable the case to proceed.
Attorney-General Githu Muigai has already left the country to be present in tomorrow’s status conference, which the president was not required to attend. Some legislators led by Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria and Majority Whip of the National Assembly mobilised fellow leaders to accompany the president to The Hague in a show of solidarity and some of them have already left the country. Others are set to travel this morning in time for tomorrow’s status conference. The legislators will however, not be allowed into the ICC chamber. — Standardmedia.co.ke.
derick.khumalo