Ruto Allies Allege Plot to Use ICC to Block His 2022 Presidential Bid

A section of leaders allied to Deputy President William Ruto claims there is a plot to use the International Criminal Court (ICC) to block his 2022 presidential bid.

Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi and his Kiharu counterpart Ndindi Nyoro alleged that Ruto’s rivals are out to revive his failed case at The Hague-based court.

The two cited the decision by Kenyan lawyer Paul Gicheru to surrender to the ICC five years after the court issued a warrant of arrest against him over claims of interfering with witnesses in Ruto’s case. 

“Last year, I told you of the evil schemes crafted by William Ruto’s political enemies with the aim of stopping him from running for office. Nancy Gitau and Solicitor General with the help of their master are the architects of this evil scheme,” Sudi wrote on Facebook.

“They began by sending three Police Officers to Eldoret Central Police Station to pick files recorded during post-election violence 2007/8. They also sent the former OCPD Eldoret (2007/8) Mr. Titus Karuri to The Hague with the motive still unknown. They have now sent Lawyer Paul Gicheru to surrender himself to ICC.”

He added: “All these plans are done subsequently with the aim to revive the ICC case against Deputy President William Ruto. This is what that self-declared government mouthpiece Francis Atwoli referred to when he claimed that William Ruto will not be on the ballot come 2022.”

Gicheru, who is accused of bribing or attempting to bribe six prosecution witnesses by offering them between Sh500,000 and Sh5 million each so that they could recant their evidence and withdraw as witnesses, surrendered to Dutch police on Monday.

“Unfortunately, you cannot separate the two ICC cases both for DP Ruto and the one for President Uhuru Kenyatta the cases remain inseparable. I wish to tell them that we are not scared about these evil schemes, we know each and every detail of their secret plan to tame William Ruto. We believe we have God on our side, let them bring it on,” added Sudi.

On his part, MP Nyoro wrote: "So the Deep State is cornered in real politics and is now resorting to ICC. Bring it on charlatans. Kenya belongs to everyone. Not a few dynasties and their surrogates. Why don't they want to meet Ruto on the battlefield come 2022." 

In an interview with NTV early this year, DP Ruto alleged there was a scheme to resuscitate his case at the ICC in order to scuttle his quest to succeed President Kenyatta.

"There are characters who have already sent people to Kenya to resuscitate the ICC cases against me. They did not succeed in the former presidents' Daniel Moi case and Mwai Kibaki scenarios as during those eras, such cases were prominent. They will not succeed in this particular scenario. In fact, their failure will be spectacular," said Ruto.