Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta (born 26 October 1961) is a Kenyan politician who has served in the government of Kenya as Deputy Prime Minister since 2008. He is the Member of Parliament for Gatundu South Constituency and Chairman of Kenya African National Union (KANU), which is currently part of the Party of National Unity (PNU).
Kenyatta is the son of Jomo Kenyatta, Kenya's first president (1964–1978). His name, Uhuru, is Swahili for "freedom". He attended St Mary's School in Nairobi. From there he went on to study political science at Amherst College in the United States.
Nominated to Parliament in 2001, he became Minister for Local Government under President Daniel arap Moi and, despite his political inexperience, was favored by President Moi as his successor; Kenyatta ran as KANU's candidate in the December 2002 presidential election, but lost to opposition candidate Mwai Kibaki by a large margin. He subsequently became Leader of the Opposition in Parliament. He backed Kibaki for re-election in the December 2007 presidential election and was named Minister of Local Government by Kibaki in January 2008, before becoming Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Trade in April 2008 as part of a coalition government.
Subsequently Kenyatta was Minister of Finance from 2009 to 2012, while remaining Deputy Prime Minister. Accused by the International Criminal Court (ICC) of committing crimes against humanity in relation to the violent aftermath of the 2007 election, he resigned as Minister of Finance on 26 January 2012.
Uhuru Kenyatta is said to be the Presidential candidate for The National Alliance (TNA) party. The TNA Party is quoted recently saying that Kenya constitution does not deny Uhuru Kenyatta the right to run and their candidate, Uhuru, will be on the Presidential ballot 2013. Kenya constitution studied based on what is expected of the occupant of President of Kenya office after elections may deny Uhuru this opportunity. Uhuru, when asking Kenyans the responsibility to serve them, should explain to Kenyans how he will interpret Kenya Constitution laws created by clauses 143 (4) and 145 (1) once elected President of Kenya or stop running for President 2013 with respect to Kenya Constitution.
Kenya Constitution Article 143 (4) The immunity of the President under this Article shall not extend to a crime for which the President may be prosecuted under any treaty to which Kenya is party and which prohibits such immunity. This clearly states that a President does not have immunity from prosecution by the ICC. The questions based on Kenya Constitution that Uhuru Kenyatta and his party TNA should answer are: If you, Uhuru Kenyatta, is elected President of Kenya how will he interpret this Kenya Constitution law with regard to your ongoing case at the International Crime Court ICC? Will you report to the opening of the case April 2013? How will this ongoing case affect your ability to execute responsibilities of the Office of President?
Kenya Constitution Article 145 (1) A member of the National Assembly, supported by at least a third of all the members, may move a motion for the impeachment of the President—(b) where there are serious reasons for believing that the President has committed a crime under national or international law. When 2 out of 3 judges hearing the pre-trial confirmed the case International Community verses Uhuru Kenyatta to go to trial, they simply stated that there were serious reasons for believing Uhuru has committed a crime under international law. If Uhuru is elected President then this 145 (1) makes him eligible for impeachment. Uhuru should answer the following questions as based on Kenya Constitution: Should members of National Assembly using this constitutional law start an impeachment proceeding against you, Uhuru Kenyatta, in light of the confirmed ICC charges once sworn in as President? How will you prepare the country after Members of Parliament move motion to impeachment you as granted by the constitution? How will the ICC case and an impeachment trial affect your ability to execute the responsibilities granted by Kenya constitution to the office of President?
Uhuru guilt or innocence is in regard to ICC case is not the discussion that should qualify him for running for Kenya President 2013. Every candidate should first fulfill the Kenya Constitution requirements to hold the office of President and show understanding and respect for the constitution as the supreme law of Kenya. When one pre-trial judge in the case of ICC gave an opinion that there was no ground for trial, it was clear that the prosecution may not be able to get a verdict of guilty after trial. However, once the prosecution process was confirmed, based on opinions by two judges, then the Kenya constitution 143 (4) and 145 (1) (b) became applicable to whoever intend to hold the office of president.
The Kenyan citizens who create political parties and offer themselves for political offices created by the constitution should not find ways to weaken the application of Kenya constitution law that creates a nation of 41 million Kenyans and growing. A weakened application of Kenya constitution in 2007 and a weak disorganized Electoral Commission of Kenya (ECK) during 2007 elections led to over 1,000 innocent Kenyan killed and 600,000 displaced. It is based on this that Uhuru Kenyatta should be the first to strengthen the Kenya constitution by applying the strongest Kenya constitution standards to his candidature and if he does he will stop running for President 2013 with respect to Kenya Constitution.
Media publishing that a Kenya President once elected can refuse to go to ICC as required by the supreme law of Kenya, "The Kenya Constitution," in this case article 143 (4), is asking the office of President to act above the Constitution of Kenya. If one disagrees with the Kenya Constitution they should start the amendment process as granted by Constitution Chapter 16.
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