Sending his congratulatory message from France where he was accompanying President Uhuru Kenyatta on his trip to meet entrepreneurs, Dr Kirubi said he was happy Ruto and Sang were not free to focus on issues affecting Kenya/PSCU
NAIROBI, Kenya, Apr 6 – Businessman Chris Kirubi joined politicians and leaders across the political divide in welcoming the decision that set free Deputy President William Ruto and journalist Joshua arap Sang.
Sending his congratulatory message from France where he was accompanying President Uhuru Kenyatta on his trip to meet entrepreneurs, Dr Kirubi said he was happy Ruto and Sang were not free to focus on issues affecting Kenya.
“I am delighted that the ICC has terminated the case against Ruto and Sang. Ruto can now fully focus on serving the country and improving the economy. I wish Ruto and Sang well as they try to focus on their respective roles following years of uncertainty over the cases,” Kirubi who was recently appointed Chairman of Brand Kenya stated.
Former Deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi also concurred with Kirubi saying that the ICC decision had given Ruto time to fully concentrate on his work of serving the nation.
“The case has been like an albatross hanging on Kenyans’ ability to focus on more pressing issues of nation building,” Mudavadi stated.
He urged the country to view the ICC ruling as an opportunity for the government to focus on development, and towards “creating an inclusive, integrated and cohesive society that participates in affairs of the country without feelings of victimisation and discrimination.”
To him, the termination of the case was also an opening for Kenya to renew its relationship with the court and also look for a local mechanism of addressing the Post Election Violence.
Earlier on Tuesday, Attorney General Githu Muigai announced that an International Crimes Division (ICD) will be launched in the coming few days to address and prevent similar violence.
READ: Kenya to launch ICD to deal with future crimes – Muigai
Former Prime Minister and leader of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Raila Odinga also congratulated Ruto and Sang.
Ruto and Sang at the time of PEV were affiliated to ODM in which Ruto was one of the Pentagon members.
Odinga defended Ruto saying he was innocent of the crimes the ICC had alleged he had committed.
“It has always been our position that ODM, to which Hon Ruto was a key member in 2007, planned no violence against other Kenyans,” he stated.
Odinga however called on the government to pay attention to victims of the violence; “we now hope the victims of post election violence will get justice and reparations from the government to enable all Kenyans close this dark chapter in our history. Justice must always be our sole shield and defender.”
Congratulatory messages continued to trickle in from as far as Nakuru through Governor Kinuthia Mbugua who urged for peace and reconciliation among Kenyans.
“The acquittal is not their individual victory it is the victory of the people of Nakuru and the people of Kenya at large. May we as a county and a country remain united even stronger than ever before, after what we have all gone through. With this in mind, the perpetrators are yet to be brought to book. Let’s all continue praying for healing and ensure that justice for the victims is fulfilled,” he stated.
Nakuru was one of the areas hardest hit by the skirmishes of the 2007/8 violence that left over 1,000 people dead and over 650,000 others displaced.
In Eldoret, which was the epicenter of the violence and the home town of Ruto and Sang, residents celebrated as they gathered on streets, clubs and other public places to express their joy in welcoming the decision that set two they considered as their own free.
During the announcement of the judgment issued on Tuesday, Ruto and Sang in the company of friends in government, former Police Commissioner Hussein Ali and among others their defence lawyers were holed up in Nairobi’s Karen when they received the long awaited decision that took the entire day to come.
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