By Jane Nambi

Kenya presidential candidate, Uhuru Kenyatta has been cleared for the presidential elections slated to take place next month.

Kenya’s High Court today ruled in favor of Kenyatta in reference to the charges he faces in the International Criminal Court. He faces, among other charges, charges of crimes against humanity trial. This ruling gives Kenyatta the go ahead to contest fully to become the next president of Kenya.

“The High Court lacks jurisdiction to deal with a question relating to the election of a president,” the panel of five judges said in a statement read to a packed courtroom. They concluded that the Supreme Court only could rule on the case.

Kenyatta, during the recently concluded Kenya debate, the first for the presidential candidates, was mocked by Raila Odinga who is also eyeing the presidency for running with the charges over his head. Odinga said it would be difficult for Kenyatta to run the country via Skype from The Hague when he is called to answer to his charges.

Kenyatta, alongside Cabinet secretary Francis Muthaura, Education Minister William Ruto and broadcaster Joshua Arap Sang.

After the 2007 elections, Kenya was rocked with post-election violence which saw women assaulted, many injured and many dead as a result of the violence. “This is an issue that is within the exclusive jurisdiction of the Supreme Court,” the judges’ ruling said, although it was not immediately clear if any application would be made to move the case to the higher court.

The trial is scheduled to take place on April 11.