By James Macharia
NAIROBI, Jan 17 (Reuters) - The International Criminal Court (ICC) is due to rule by next Monday on whether six high-profile Kenyans suspected of orchestrating the violence that followed a disputed election in December 2007 will be put on trial.
There are two cases at the ICC.
Uhuru Kenyatta, Francis Muthaura and Mohammed Hussein Ali are accused of crimes against humanity, including murder, forcible transfer, rape and persecution.
William Ruto, Henry Kosgey and Joshua arap Sang are accused of crimes against humanity, including murder, forcible transfer and persecution.
UHURU KENYATTA, FINANCE MINISTER AND DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER
* The ICC says Kenyatta, a member of the Kikuyu tribe, mobilised a local mafia-style Mungiki militia made up of his tribesmen to hit back at members of the Kalenjin tribe over violence in the Rift Valley targeting Kikuyu.
* Kenyatta, born in 1961, the son of Kenya's founding father Jomo Kenyatta, is the only one of the six to take the stand to fend off accusations against him.
* A member of Kenya's largest tribe, Kenyatta belongs to one of the country's wealthiest families with extensive land and business holdings and is a close ally of President Mwai Kibaki who is barred by law from running for a third term.
* Kenyatta has said the ICC process would not affect Kenyan markets, the economy or his presidential aspirations.
FRANCIS MUTHAURA, CIVIL SERVICE HEAD AND CABINET SECRETARY
* Muthaura, born in 1946, is from the Meru ethnic group, closely linked to the Kikuyu tribe.
* Muthaura is one of Kibaki's closest allies and a central pillar in the so-called Mt. Kenya Mafia, politicians from the foothills of the mountain in Kenya's central highlands, which is the core of Kibaki's trusted inner circle.
* Muthaura, a career diplomat with a low-key public persona, was chairman of the powerful National Security Advisory Committee during the violence.
MAJ-GEN (RET.) HUSSEIN ALI, FORMER POLICE COMMISSIONER
* Ali, born in 1956, is from the Somali ethnic community. He was the police chief during the violent clashes but now heads the state agency, Postal Corporation of Kenya.
* Ali, a brigadier in the Kenya Air Force, was the first police commissioner to take the post from outside the police force and made his mark by vigorously fighting crime.
* During the violence, the police response drew criticism for its excessive use of force. A human rights investigation showed many of the deaths resulted from gunshot wounds following a "shoot to kill" order from the police hierarchy.
WILLIAM SAMOEI RUTO, FORMER HIGHER EDUCATION MINISTER
* The ICC prosecutor says Ruto, a Kalenjin born in 1966, was the principal planner and organiser of crimes against supporters of Kibaki's party.
* Ruto is accused of plotting for years to drive Kibaki supporters out of farms and towns in the Rift Valley using a network of politicians, media representatives, financiers, tribal elders and former members of the security forces.
* Ruto was at the time a senior official in Prime Minister Raila Odinga's party. Odinga, who is running for the top seat, accused Kibaki of stealing the vote after the 2007 presidential election.
* Odinga and Ruto fell out after the coalition government was formed and relations worsened after Ruto was sacked from the cabinet. Ruto launched the United Republican Party to run for president in the election.
HENRY KIPRONO KOSGEY, FORMER INDUSTRIALISATION MINISTER
* Kosgey, a Kalenjin born in 1947, is chairman of the party that opposed Kibaki in the last election. He quit his latest cabinet position over accusations of corruption. Has spent years in cabinet in a political career that spans decades.
* The ICC prosecutor says Kosgey deputised for Ruto during planning of the violence and commanders of the network's military structure reported directly to Ruto or Kosgey.
* While Kosgey has not yet relinquished his post in Odinga's party, he has sided with Ruto in rebelling against Odinga.
JOSHUA ARAP SANG, HEAD OF OPERATIONS, KASS FM
* Sang, a Kalenjin born in 1975, heads operations at the privately-owned radio KASS FM, which broadcasts mainly in the Kalenjin language, and is a presenter of a daily breakfast show.
* The ICC prosecutor says Sang was a principal planner and an organiser of crimes against Kibaki supporters, and used coded language on his shows to signal attacks and broadcast the locations where attacks were to take place. (Editing by David Clarke)
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