Uhuru Kenyatta arrives today for state visit

By Charles Etukuri

Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta arrives in the country Monday on a three-day official visit.

According to the executive director of the Uganda Media Centre, Kenyatta has been invited by President Yoweri Museveni.

This will be Kenyatta’s first visit as head of state. He has already been to Tanzania, Ethiopia, South Africa and the UK.

Sources said top on the agenda will be discussion about the fate of Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto who are both facing the International Criminal Court (ICC) over post-election violence that rocked Kenya following the disputed 2007 elections.

During Kenyatta’s swearing-in ceremony, President Museveni, who was the chief guest, blasted the ICC and accused it of trying to use the court to determine the election outcome and impose a leader on the Kenyan people.

“I want to salute the Kenyan voters on one issue — the rejection of the blackmail by the ICC and those who seek to abuse this institution for their own agenda. I was one of those that supported the ICC because I abhor impunity.

"However, the opinionated and arrogant actors using their careless analysis have distorted the purpose of that institution. They are now using it to install leaders of their choice in Africa and eliminate the ones they do not like,” Museveni said.

Following a request from Kenyatta that he needed more time for his lawyers to put together the necessary evidence, the ICC has rescheduled the start of the hearing to November 12.