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NAIROBI. — President Uhuru Kenyatta arrived at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport yesterday ahead of a landmark appearance before the International Criminal Court, where he faces charges of crimes against humanity.
“He has arrived in the Netherlands,” his spokesman, Manoah Esipisu, told AFP.

President Kenyatta temporarily handed power to his deputy, William Ruto, earlier on Monday before taking a regular flight as a “private” citizen to Amsterdam.

“There is nothing he has done in action or deed as president that would merit him being here in court, that’s why he travelled here as a private individual,” Mr Esipisu said.

Around a dozen of President Kenyatta’s supporters were at Schiphol Airport to welcome him, an AFP correspondent said.

He is due to attend a “status conference” hearing today at The Hague-based ICC, after prosecutors asked for an indefinite delay until Nairobi hands over documents they believe could clinch their case.

Kenyatta (52), faces five counts at the ICC over his alleged role in masterminding post-election violence in 2007 and 2008 that left 1 200 people dead and 600 000 displaced.

The Kenyan leader has appeared at the ICC before, but not since he was elected president in March 2013.

On Monday, Kenyatta told Parliament he had taken the “unprecedented” move to temporarily hand over power to Mr Ruto, whose trial at the ICC has already begun.

“Let it not be said that I am attending . . . as the President of Kenya,” he told a special session of Parliament as several lawmakers stamped their feet in support.

Esipisu told AFP that today’s hearing “is a procedural event, not really anything to write home about”.

Meanwhile, the BBC reports that prosecutors have asked the ICC to rule that Kenya’s government is not co-operating with its investigations into president Kenyatta’s case.

The government was not “going to give us what we are asking for”, the prosecution said.

Kenyatta denies inciting violence after Kenya’s disputed 2007 polls.

The ICC has summoned him to explain allegations that evidence against him had been withheld.

If his trial goes ahead, he will be the first serving head of state to be tried by the ICC. — Daily Nation/BBC.