Deputy President William Ruto jets back from The Hague

Deputy President William Ruto jetted back into the country on Thursday morning from The Hague, Netherlands where he attended his trial before the International Criminal Court.

Ruto arrived at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport shortly after 6am and was accompanied by his wife Rachel.

He left the country on Monday to attend the trial against him and radio presenter Joshua Sang but the case was adjourned Wednesday because the prosecution could not get her first witness in time.

Ruto was received at JKIA by Labour Cabinet Secretary Kazungu Kambi, Centre for Multiparty Democracy chairman Omingo Magara, Senators Kipchumba Murkomen and Linet Kemunto among other leaders.

Seeking adjournment in the case, Chief Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda said the unidentified witness was travelling from an undisclosed location elsewhere in Europe and was expected to arrive at The Hague on Thursday.

The adjournment on just the second day of the highly-anticipated trial came at the end of a hard-hitting opening statement from Mr Sang’s lawyer Katwa Kigen, who adopted Mr Ruto’s stance in calling on the prosecution to abandon the case early for lack of evidence.

Picking up from where Mr Ruto’s lawyer Karim Khan had concluded the previous day, Mr Kigen dwelt in detail on what he charged were major gaps in the prosecution case for which the only remedy was withdrawal of the charges before any more time was wasted.

Monday is a public holiday in the Netherlands so the court will reconvene next Tuesday.

Mchimba Riziki Source (Daily nation) Kenya

MAWAKILI WA AFRIKA MASHARIKI WASIMAMA KIDETE KUITETEA TANZANIA NA BURUNDI KUTOTENGWA (EAST AFRICA COMMUNITY)

CHAMA cha mawakili wa eneo la Afrika Mashariki kimewaandikia barua Rais wa Uganda Yoweri Museveni na Katibu Mkuu wa Jamii ya Afrika Mashariki Dkt Richard Sezibera kikionya dhidi ya kutengwa kwa Tanzania kutoka kwa Jumuiya ya Afrika Mashariki.


Rais wa Chama cha Mawakili wa Afrika Mashariki (EALS) Bw James Mwamu Jumatano alionya kwamba kuendelezwa kwa mpangilio wa utangamano wa Afrika Mashariki unaosisitiza Kenya, Uganda na  Rwanda kama muungano wa mataifa matatu na washikadau wa eneo la Afrika Mashiriki huenda kukaathiri mshikamano wa mataifa wanachama.


Mataifa ya Tanzania na  Burundi yanaonekana kutengwa katika makongamano ya miundo msingi muhimu ya kimaendeleo yaliyoandaliwa majuzi nchini Kenya  na Uganda.


“Historia ina ushahidi tosha wa visa kama hivyo vilivyowahi kutokea kudhihirisha kwamba kutengwa kwa namna hiyo hatimaye kutazua tuhuma, kuzorotesha uhusiano baina ya mataifa wanachama, kurudiwa kwa juhudi na ushindano ulio na  uharibifu,” alisema Bw Mwamu katika barua yake ya Agosti 30.


Bw Mwamu alisema nchi za Tanzania na  Burundi zinapaswa kujumuishwa katika juhudi mpya za kuimarisha miundomsingi ya eneo ili kupata manufaa zaidi kwa mataifa hayo matano ambayo ni wanachama. Said Mr Mwamu: “Ni kutokana na haya ndiposa Chama cha Mawakili Afrika Mashariki  kinawarai Wastahiki, kama Rais na Viongozi wa kisiasa wa Jumuiya ya Afrika Mashariki mtawalia, kutia juhudi zote katika kujumuisha taifa la Tanzania na Burundi katika jamii ya Afrika Mashariki.”


Kufurushwa

Nchi za Rwanda na Tanzania zimetofautiana kuhusu hatua ya hivi majuzi ya utawala wa Tanzania ya kuwafurusha wahamiaji, iliyolenga wahamiaji wasio halali hususan kutoka Rwanda waliokuwa wakiishi eneo la  Kagera.


Rais Museveni ndiye mwanachama wa muungano wa Jamii ya Afrika Mashariki na amehudhuria rasmi makongamano mawili kuhusiana na miundomsingi ambayo vilevile yalihudhuriwa na Marais Uhuru Kenyatta wa Kenya na  Paul Kagame wa Rwanda.


Msemaji wa Rais Jakaya Kikwete Salva Rweyemama alieleza shirika la habari la Nation kupitia rununu kuwa kiongozi wa Tanzanian hakualikwa katika makongamano yote mawili kuhusiana na miundomsingi yaliyofanyika Mombasa na  Uganda.

MCHIMBA RIZIKI