Uhuru To Travel to The Hague

The President will however travel to the Hague as a civilian after he appointed his Deputy William Ruto as Acting President.

The President announced this decision when he addressed a joint Parliament this afternoon.

The move by the President to appoint Ruto his deputy is a first as he signed a special notice handing over power to him as Acting President.

This is the first time a President is handing over power to his deputy in an acting capacity.

This will however be short term as it will end immediately the President arrives back from the Hague after the status conference.

He told an attentive House that he had to cede power so that he appears before the Hague court as a civilian and not as President.

The issue had caused anxiety as he would have become the first sitting President to be charged at the ICC.

The move is tandem with a resolution of the African Union which resolved that a sitting head of state should not be charged in the court.

In his speech, the Head of State took a swipe at the Hague based court accusing it of being unfair.

Kenyatta said "It is unfair for the court to disregard an AU resolution".

Kenyatta said he will not put the sovereignity of Kenyans on test by attending the status conference as President.

Kenyatta further pointed out that his conscience is clear and that he is innocent from crimes he is being accused of at the ICC.

The head of state also asked Kenyans to accept his decision to honour the ICC summons at The Hague.

By Leah Ngechu