International Criminal Court

Kenyan president Uhuru Kenyatta left the country Tuesday to attend a hearing of the International Criminal Court, where he will become the first sitting world leader to appear before the chamber. Uhuru Kenyatta told parliament Monday he would appoint his deputy, William Ruto, as acting president in his absence to avoid putting the “sovereignty of more than 40 million Kenyans on trial” and would not attend in his position as head of state, but in a personal capacity. Kenya’s Western allies and investors will likely welcome the decision to attend Wednesday’s hearing. Snubbing the court might have led judges to issue an arrest warrant that would have unsettled financial markets and strained diplomatic ties. Kenyatta faces charges of orchestrating ethnic killings after the contested 2007 election. Those charges could be dismissed at Wednesday’s hearing after the prosecution asked for the case to be adjourned as it did not have enough evidence. Ruto faces separate but similar charges at the court. “Let it not be said that I am attending the status conference (at the court) as the president of the Republic of Kenya,” Kenyatta said in a speech to explain his decision to put Ruto temporarily in charge while he travelled. Kenyatta has previously attended hearings before he was elected to office last year. Ruto has gone while in office. The collapse of the case would be a blow to a court that has handed down just two guilty verdicts, both to little known Congolese warlords, and one acquittal since inception in 2003. Sudan’s President Omar al Bashir, wanted for genocide, still travels to countries, particularly in Africa, that have ignored a warrant for his arrest, even when they are signatories to the court. Kenyatta echoed complaints heard across the continent that the court is biased and focuses on going after Africans. “My accusers both domestic and foreign have painted a nefarious image of most African leaders as embodiments of corruption and impunity,” he said, repeating his previous denials of the charges by saying his “conscience is clear”. He thanked the African Union which last year called for a halt to Kenyatta’s trial, saying serving leaders should not have to stand trial. Kenyatta said that, because Ruto would be in charge, this demand would be upheld.