Rift Valley elders slam Moses Kuria over ICC remarks

A council of elders from Rift Valley has slammed Gatundu South Member of Parliament Moses Kuria over his confessions about fixing Deputy President William at the International Criminal Court (ICC).

During a Mount Elgon rally last month, Kuria revealed that participated in the selection and coaching of witnesses who testified against the DP.

The controversial MP, who claimed that Martha Karua and Raila Odinga also played a part in fixing the DP, also said witnesses were paid Ksh 2,000 for their false testimony.

The Council of Elders, led by the Uasin Gishu County Assembly Speaker Isaac Kipkemei Terer, said this revelation is too late because the ICC prosecutor has already closed her case against Ruto and journalist Joshua Sang.

“Kuria and those with like minds had all the time to speak out but chose to remain silent,” said Terer.

North Rift leaders Kiprono Bett and Rono Maswai have also condemned the allegations saying that such words would lead to discord within Jubilee. According to the duo, Kuria’s statements were malicious and outdated.

They called on Kuria to desist from discussing the ICC case because his utterances were dangerous and they may disrupt peace and reconciliation efforts in the Rift Valley.

“One community will think it was fixed by the other at the ICC. This will destabilize a region we’ve been reconciling since the 2007-08 post-election violence,” Terer said.

The County Assembly Speaker said that Kuria and others who framed Ruto at the ICC should face the full force of law for providing false testimony.

Terer has also cautioned leaders against politicizing ongoing prayer meetings for Ruto and Sang. He said politicians involved in the prayer meetings must also stop targeting the ICC saying this may anger the judges handling Ruto and Sang’s case.

“Targeting the ICC and calling it a kangaroo court will not help at all,” Terer said. “Instead, we should focus the prayers on the victims and the ICC judges so that wisdom prevails.”

Over the pert few weeks, church leaders have also condemned the disputes between politicians over the ICC cases.

On Monday, the religious leaders said the controversial utterances by the Gatundu South MP are dangerous for the country.

Father Ambrose Kimutai of the Segemik Parish, Kericho Catholic Archdiocese, accused Kuria of engaging Kenyans on “non-issues”.

“Those pointing fingers at Odinga should be reminded that the country did not go the way of 2007/08 in 2013 because President Uhuru Kenyatta and the DP reconciled their communities perfectly,” he said.

Bishop Joshua Koyo, the head of the Episcopal Church in Kenya, said leaders should not take Kenyans back to the days of hate.