Ruto told Kikuyus to leave, says witness

Deputy President William Ruto. PHOTO | DPPS 

In Summary

• Earlier, the witness said Mr Ruto and Tinderet MP and ODM chairman Henry Kosgey, and two councillors, Mr Farouk Kibet and a Mr Mutai, led a large crowd into the Brookside Dairy in Eldoret, where a search for fake ballot papers was carried out but none were found.
• Although the witness was unable to estimate the size of the crowd, he explained that the far-most person from where Mr Ruto stood was 500 metres away.
• The ICC judges were told that on December 26, there were riots in the town, with youths, mostly from the Kalenjin and Luo communities, blocking roads using burning tyres and stones, and engaging police in running battles, but were later dispersed by the police.

Deputy President William Ruto announced that communities that did not support ODM and its presidential candidate had to leave the Rift Valley, a prosecution witness told the ICC Friday.

Witness P-568 said Mr Ruto, while addressing a crowd at Sosioni Bridge, along the Kapsabet Road in Eldoret, said all communities in the country were behind ODM presidential candidate in the 2007 elections Raila Odinga, except for one community.

The witness, who was giving evidence for the second day, said Mr Ruto who is now the Deputy President, then asked the crowd if they knew which community that was and they responded “Kikuyu.”

“We will put them (Kikuyus) in a pick-up and return them to Othaya,” the witness quoted the DP as having said.

FAKE BALLOTS

Earlier, the witness said Mr Ruto and Tinderet MP and ODM chairman Henry Kosgey, and two councillors, Mr Farouk Kibet and a Mr Mutai, led a large crowd into the Brookside Dairy in Eldoret, where a search for fake ballot papers was carried out but none were found.

Mr Kibet was said to have led several youths into the factory, and were seen emptying milk cans as they ransacked the place for the ballots.

Questioned by the prosecution lawyer, Mr Lucio Garcia, why the leaders and their supporters raided Brookside Dairy, he said it was suspected fake ballots papers were hidden there, as the plant was owned by a Kikuyu.

After failing to get the ballots, the group marched back to Eldoret Town, but at the Sosioni Bridge, they met a large crowd coming from the opposite direction, and Mr Ruto stood to address them, using loud speakers mounted on his vehicle, he said.

Although the witness was unable to estimate the size of the crowd, he explained that the far-most person from where Mr Ruto stood was 500 metres away.

His remarks excited the crowd, triggering tension in Eldoret Town, with some youths destroying Safaricom booths owned by Kikuyu women, the witness said.

BURNING TYRES AND STONES

One of the booths toppled over had the owner, a woman inside, but she managed to escape unhurt, after getting off and escaping on foot, he said.

The ICC judges were told that on December 26, there were riots in the town, with youths, mostly from the Kalenjin and Luo communities, blocking roads using burning tyres and stones, and engaging police in running battles, but were later dispersed by the police.

A van that was transporting ballot papers and other voting materials for the General Election that was set to begin the following day, was set ablaze on suspicion it was ferrying fake ballot papers.

Mr Ruto was in court during the evidence given by the witness who is a victim of the 2008 PEV.