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Sang incited Kalenjins against Kikuyus, says ICC witness

According to Witness P0800, Sang spoke in Kalenjin and used metaphors of a cow that was giving birth but the calf failed to come out which he translated to mean that the presidential results came out contrary to the expectations of the Kalenjin people/FILE

According to Witness P0800, Sang spoke in Kalenjin and used metaphors of a cow that was giving birth but the calf failed to come out which he translated to mean that the presidential results came out contrary to the expectations of the Kalenjin people/FILE

NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 1 – The International Criminal Court has been told that journalist Joshua arap Sang incited Kalenjins on his Kass FM show, to go and demand their rights after former President Mwai Kibaki was declared winner of the 2007 General Election.

According to Witness P0800, Sang spoke in Kalenjin and used the metaphor of a cow that was giving birth but failed to deliver the calf, which he translated to mean that the presidential results came out contrary to the expectations of the Kalenjin people.

“What was said in regards to the cow,” Trial Lawyer Lucio Garcia asked when leading the witness during his evidence-in-chief.

The witness who is among nine compelled to testify said after Kibaki was announced winner of the 2007 election, Sang said the results were contrary to the expectations of the Kalenjins.

“The leg of the calf from the stomach of the cow has appeared but it has returned to the stomach again,” he explained. “It was like they were expecting a calf but now it is no more again, that is to mean they were expecting the president to be Raila Odinga but now it is opposite,” the witness claimed.

P0800 further alleged that Sang incited Kalenjins to get ready to fight for their rights.

The witness however could not tell if Sang was asking the people to demand for their rights by fighting.

Presiding Judge Chile Eboe-Osuji asked “Did Sang say in which way the people should demand their right?”

The witness responded that it was not the case but explained that there are many other ways of asking people to demand for their rights.

The witness said he heard Sang advising youths especially from his area to join demonstrators and block roads in the area they were in.

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“He was saying ‘you have to come out so that you can join other people coming to block the roads so that we can block people from going out from the area. That area is Kikuyu dominated so if they block the roads people will not come out – Kikuyus especially,” the witness alleged.

He further claimed that on December 30, 2007, there was a war cry that was made to indicate that Kalenjins were under attack.

He explained that the war cry usually made by women included words to the effect that ‘they have attacked us’.

“There is a specific type of cry in Kalenjin community which means preparation for war. And that is they kind of cry that was made on that particular evening,” the witness claimed.

The witness told the court that following Sang’s announcement on radio after the 2007 presidential results were released, there were demonstrations that took place in the Rift Valley region protesting the election of Kibaki.

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