Kenya:Uhuru Kenyatta trial moved to November

The International  Criminal Court (ICC) has pushed back the trial of Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta to 12 November.

The decision was taken to give Mr Kenyatta’s defence enough time to prepare for his trial, the ICC said.
Mr Kenyatta is accused of organizing violence after the 2007 election, an allegation he denies.

The African Union has called for the trial to be halted, saying the ICC was “hunting” Africans.

‘Murder charge’.

Mr Kenyatta is charged with crimes against humanity, including murder and rape.

The ICC accuses him of being an “indirect co-perpetrator” in the violence that killed about 1,200 people and left more than 500,000 homeless after the disputed 2007 election.

MrRuto and Mr Kenyatta were on opposite sides of the 2007 election, but formed an alliance for this year’s election.

Mr Kenyatta backed his predecessor, Mwai Kibaki, in the 2007 election, while MrRuto supported MrOdinga.

BIRORI ERIC

UM– USEKE.RW