UHURU HAS NO DEBT TO REPAY RUTO: HE SAVED HIM FROM ICC


When the former ICC prosecutor Moreno Ocampo announced the Ocampo Six, Ruto was far from the larger than life politician we see today. On 15th December of 2010, Ruto was an ordinary MP of Eldoret North when he was announced as one of the suspects to answer charges at the International Criminal Court.

It’s true that Ruto had a meteriocal rise in politics from being the secretary of YK92 in 1992 to holding key cabinet positions in the Narc Coalition government and PNU/ODM coalition government. None of all that prepared him for the biggest test in his life: ICC.

It was evident from day one that the charges against the president were flimsy and it was a matter of when not if they will be thrown out of court. Unlike Ruto, Uhuru had the finances, human support and architects to manouver through the allegations.
The first step was making sure he clinched the presidency so he can have control of the case here at home. The day Ocampo announced the names (15th Dec 2010) is the day Raila lost his chance of being the president. Winning the election became a matter of life and death for the Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister.

Uhuru stood with Ruto all the way. He forged peace between communities and in the process of healing and reconciliation made Ruto his running mate. They were fighting two battles and Uhuru was determined to win on all fronts. And win he did.

On 5th December 2014, just over a year in his presidency, the ICC shelved President Kenyatta’s case. This did not make him stop giving Ruto all the support he needed. A journey they had started together on that grim day of 15th Dec 2010, Uhuru was determined they would see it through together. Slightly over a year later on 12th Feb 2016, Ruto would win his case too. President Uhuru Kenyatta was among the first to congratulate Ruto by saying, “This moment is long overdue but no less joyful. I join my brothers in celebrating their moment of justice…The victory in this matter is partial and the quest for justice incomplete, because the International Criminal Court elected to blindly pursue ill-conceived, defective agenda at the expense of accountability.”

It would be wrong to ask Uhuru to support Ruto as a repayment of debt resulting from supporting his presidential candidature. Uhuru has already done more to him and if they will work together again in 2022 it will be because of shared goals, mutual respect and friendship for each other.

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