A prosecution witness accused Mr Kosgey of inciting members of the Kalenjin community in Nandi Hills to evict other tribes just before the 2007 General Election.
Witness 409, testifying against Deputy President William Ruto and journalist Joshua arap Sang, said Kosgey told the Kalenjin people to reject other communities when he addressed a political rally at Nandi Hills Stadium around October 2007.
The ODM rally to drum up support for presidential candidate Raila Odinga was also addressed by Mr Ruto.
The witness claimed that during the rally, Kosgey, the then Tinderet MP, used parables which he interpreted to mean that other communities should be removed from the area.
He said Kosgey, who was the first to speak as the host, began by urging the people to vote as a block for Mr Raila. After the Kiswahili speech, Kosgey switched to Kalenjin and began addressing the cheering crowd in parables.
In the first parable, Kosgey said, “makimo che ketit ne kiibu chumbek (we don’t want the tree that was brought by the white man).
Prosecutor: Did you understand what he was referring to when he said trees? Witness: I understood him to be referring to those people who worked for the whiteman; the Luhya, Kikuyu and the Kisii.
The witness, who is not a Kalenjin speaker said he understands the language. He understood the words addressed to the Kalenjin. Kosgey was let of the hook on similar charges of crimes against humanity in 2011 when the Pre-Trial Chamber of the ICC declined to confirm his charges.
The witness said the rally, attended by more than 1,000 people was held after the dissolution of Parliament. He said they had been informed that the rally would be attended by Ruto and Kosgey and other presidential candidates. He said the whole stadium cheered Kosgey through the speech, “Even where I was standing, my Kalenjin friends cheered,” he said adding that the meeting was largely attended by the Kalenjin but also had Luos, Kisiis, Kikuyus and Luhyas.
Prosecution: Did you see anyone who was not cheering?
Witness: Myself. I did not cheer because I did not know at first what he was referring to. I started suspecting myself as one of the communities living in thatarea.
Prosecution: Did he say what should be done to the trees?
At that point Ruto’s lawyer Karim Khan objected saying the matter was very serious and the prosecutor should be careful and diligent.
- The Standard
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