Former anti-graft chief John Githongo has said it is "unthinkable" that the Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta and Eldoret North MP William Ruto are running for the presidency. Githongo said the two ICC suspects ought to abandon their quest to succeed President Kibaki.

The two are set to go on trial for crimes against humanity at The Hague-based court beginning April next year. Both Uhuru and Ruto are running for the presidency under the G7 Alliance, albeit each having different parties namely TNA and URP respectively. "The technical form is that one is perceived innocent until proven guilty. But if one is charged with crimes against humanity that person is not fit to lead 41 million Kenyans," Githongo told a gender democracy forum on Thursday.

The forum was organised by Heinrich Böll StiftungEast and Horn of Africa office to discuss the gender dimensions of the leadership and integrity bill. "In the spirit of the new constitution, its absolutely not possible.

It is unthinkable. That is how I see it," Githongo told the forum. Marion Mutugi, a former member of the select team that interviewed current IEBC commissioners, said participation in the 2013 General Election should only be open to those who meet the highest levels of leadership and integrity espoused in the 2010 constitution.

She called on the concerned institutions to put in place relevant mechanisms to ensure that those who fail the integrity test are not allowed on the ballot.