Kenya's deputy prime minister and the head of the civil service will be allowed to continue serving in public office despite facing trial in the International Criminal Court (ICC) for crimes against humanity, the country's attorney general said Tuesday. Uhuru Kenyatta, deputy premier and son of Kenya's first president, and civil service head Francis Muthaura were among four Kenyans who had charges against them confirmed by ICC judges on Monday. Attorney General Githu Muigai said the two men could stay in office until their appeals against the ICC ruling were heard, at which point a decision on their future would be made. William Ruto, a former minister, and radio show host Joshua Arap Sang were the other two named Monday as having a case to answer in The Hague. More than 1,300 people died in the tribal violence that followed disputed elections in December 2007. The bloodshed only ended in March 2008 when opposition leader Raila Odinga, who had accused President Mwai Kibaki of stealing the elections, accepted the post of prime minister in a coalition government. Kenyatta is running for the presidency in elections mooted for early 2013. Kenya's constitution says politicians facing criminal charges cannot hold public office, but there is debate over whether this applies to the ICC.
