Video-Uhuru takes witness stand

Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta on Thursday took the stand at the International Criminal Court (ICC) to testify in his own case where he faces charges of crimes against humanity.

Mr Kenyatta began his testimony by giving a backgound of his political history guided by his lawyer, Mr Steven Kay. He largely dwelt on testimony against prosecution evidence and witnesses.

Mr Kenyatta said that he had never met the prosecution Witness 4 and also denied that on November 17, 2007, he met the witness and other Mungiki leaders for a meeting at Yaya Centre, Nairobi.

He said that he had been to the Yaya Centre with his wife and children but would never take his political meetings there: “Yaya Centre is not a meeting place. I have never been to the place with people I work with. Only with my family as my wife does her shopping there,” said Mr Kenyatta.

Mr Kenyatta retraced his activities on November 25, 2007 saying that he was in Bomet in the morning and later joined President Kibaki at Uhuru Park for a youth rally. He said that he left for his house after the rally.

Mr Kenyatta said that he never met the Mungiki on November 26, 2007 at State House or on any other day. He added that Kanu was represented by one of its youth representatives as the youth presented their charter to the President at State House.

“I was not the organiser of the youth meeting at State House and did not attend. It was organised by the “Kibaki Tena” group but one of our youth coordinators was part of the presidential campaign team and was at the meeting,” said Mr Kenyatta.

He went on to explain why he was at a meeting at KICC where President Kibaki was to meet the PNU aspirants but the Head of State did not attend. He added that the then Vice-President, Mr Moody Awori informed them that the president had invited them for lunch at the InterContinental Hotel.

Final results

Mr Kenyatta said that he was a presidential agent and was at the KICC which housed the national elections tally centre from the night December 27, 2007. He added that they “lived” at the KICC until the final results were announced.

He told the court that the atmosphere was highly charged and that the tension increased as President Kibaki opened a gap against Mr Odinga. He said that the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party started saying that the election was being rigged, adding that the same party had earlier said that there was a plan for the polls to be stolen.

After the elections results were announced, Mr Kenyatta said, that he went to State House for th
 
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