Prominent Kenyans await court ruling over poll violence

Chief prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo has asked to bring two separate cases, reflecting the ethnic divisions behind Kenya's post-election violence. Mr Kenyatta, a supporter of Mr Kibaki, is accused of organising a campaign of violence including murder and rape against Odinga supporters. Prosecutors say he met members of a secretive criminal organisation known as Mungiki at a shopping mall in Nairobi before the election in 2007 to arrange some of the attacks. He denied the accusation at a preliminary hearing at The Hague-based court last September. Mr Kenyatta, the son of the country's first President Jomo Kenyatta, is hoping to stand in next year's presidential poll, with analysts suggesting that he has a realistic chance of winning. Two other senior Kibaki supporters face similar allegations. The scene of clashes in the Rift Valley town of Naivasha (Jan 2008) The violence after the 2007 election took Kenya to the brink of civil war Mr Ruto, former education minister, says he also intends to run in the election. He and two other supporters of Mr Odinga face claims that they organised attacks on Kibaki supporters. Monday is a big day for Kenya, as the people are eagerly awaiting the court's decision, the BBC's Will Ross in Nairobi reports. Kenya's government has been lobbying for the cases to be dropped - a position endorsed last year by the African Union. Mr Kibaki was eventually declared the winner of the 2007 election, and is serving his second term as president. Mr Odinga was installed as prime minister.