Kenya: Netizens React to ICC Charges Against Six Kenyans · Global Voices
Collins Mbalo

On 7 and 8 April, 2011, the International Criminal Court (ICC) confirmed charges against six prominent Kenyan individuals whom the ICC prosecutor Louis Moreno Ocampo believes bear the most responsibility for the post election violence that rocked the country in 2008.
The six individuals are William Samoei Ruto and Henry Kiprono Kosgey (both serving Members of Parliament), Joshua Arap Sang (radio journalist with a popular vernacular station), Francis Kirimi Muthaura (Secretary to Cabinet and Head of Public Service), Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta (Deputy Prime Minister and serving Member of Parliament) and Mohammed Hussein Ali (Former Chief of Police).
Post-election violence in Kenya. Image by Daniel McCabe, copyright Demotix (13/02/2009).
The visit of the six to the Hague has drawn mixed reactions and raised political temperatures in the country with part of the coalition government supporting the ICC move and another denouncing it.
Dr Kabera Karanja of the blog Killing Corruption Monster discusses some of the tough conditions set by the court especially with respect to speech inciting to violence. He notes:
With  home-coming reception rally planned by the supporters of the two  presidential candidates, William Ruto and Uhuru Kenyatta and their  declared onslaught on their main presidential candidate rival Raila  Odinga, it will be a difficult or impossible balancing act to require  the two to tame their language. If Raila were to utilize this  opportunity to deride his opponents, then Ruto and Uhuru could easily  argue that the ICC is being used to silence them and therefore ‘working  for Raila’.
Ken Opalo observes:
Kenyan politics is currently in flux. Two key presidential candidates,  Uhuru Kenyatta and William Ruto may be barred from running for public  office next year on constitutional grounds. The key beneficiaries of  such an eventuality will most probably be Raila Odinga and Kalonzo  Musyoka, the Premier and Vice President respectively…
Over the last few weeks Uhuru and Ruto have been crisscrossing the  country and holding chest-thumping rallies to prove to someone – either  the ICC or the Kenyan political and economic elite – that they have the  support of the grassroots. They have also issued thinly veiled threats  that violence may erupt in the country if they are whisked to the Hague  and barred from running for president in next year’s general election.
The Diary of A Gay Kenyan comments on the live proceedings from the ICC:
I'm sitting at home watching Live NTV showing Uhuru Kenyatta, son of  Kenya's founding president, appearing at the Hague accused of crimes  against humanity. Looks like the penny has just dropped…
A guest post at Bankelele blog offered those travelling to the Hague to witness the proceedings some traveling tips under the post “A Kenyan Guide to the Hague“:
When crossing roads, keep an eye out for the bike lane, the tram lane, AND the car lane. And you might want to obey the traffic lights as well, as the pedestrians also wait for the pedestrian crossing light to turn green before crossing, even in the absence of incoming cars. When being driven within The Hague, you might decry all the “wasted” driving lanes that are taken up by the bicycle lanes, but there is no overlapping from drivers into the bike lanes as the cyclists also seem to have significant cycling rights.
Thinkers Room states:
I stand unsure whether to weep or laugh at the absurdity of Kenyans  celebrating the return of possible perpetrators of the election  violence. These same Kenyans for some reason don’t give a rat’s **##(expletives)  about the victims who lost family, friends, property, homes and  livelihoods!
I am forced to conclude that the media’s insistence on perpetuating  this farce is a start reminder that perhaps the media is missing among  the Ocampo 6.
Helping broadcast innuendo, tribalism and hate speech as far as I am  concerned makes the media just as guilty as the perpetrators.
In discussing the issue the Twitter hashtag #Ocampo6 is trending. A section of Kenyans on Twitter are actually urging the media not to cover the six individuals:
KE media need to give the #Ocampo6 a 7day media blackout .@ntvkenya @KTNKenya @k24tv @citizentvkenya Please RT
Facebook logo for page "I Support Ocampo6 Media Blackout".
One group has set up a Facebook page to coerce the media not to feature news items that focus on the campaigns by the suspects.
The following are Twitter reactions to the news:
@Jaydabliu: Don't blame the media for showing #Ocampo6 rally! Remember you have the option of NOT watching/attending!
@Arthurnyoiks:#isupport RT @Ngendo87: How about WE don't watch, listen or read any media on the #Ocampo6. WE give THE media a blackout!
@UncleCyrus: The social media is giving the politicians more coverage than the mainstream media itself.Just check the #Ocampo6 on twitter.
@SokoAnalyst: I am boycotting all media and @westfmkenya have given the #ocampo6 complete blackout… good.
These are just some of the tweets about the ICC process and the suspects; for more news follow the hashtags #Ocampo6 or #ISupportOcampo6MediaBlackout.