Uhuru Kenyatta will appear at ICC in The Hague

The International Criminal Court in the Hague is set to hold the first of two days of hearings in which Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta will be the first sitting Head of State to come before it.

He is facing charges of crimes against humanity in connection with violence that followed the 2007 elections in which more than one thousand Kenyans were killed.

The President's defence lawyers argue that the case should be thrown out.

Judges will consider the arguments presented by both sides.

The hearing is due to set a date for his trial to begin.

The ICC has summoned him to explain allegations that evidence against him had been withheld.

In September, the court postponed the trial after prosecutors said the Kenyan government had failed to deliver key documents.

Witnesses for the prosecution have withdrawn from the case.

Dozens of Kenyan MPs are expected to travel to The Hague to back Mr Kenyatta at the status hearing.

BBC