Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta has decided to temporarily step down to go to the International Criminal Court (ICC) where he faces charges of crimes against humanity.

The Kenyan president is due to appear at the court in The Hague on Wednesday.

Addressing the Kenyan parliament on Monday, Kenyatta maintained his innocence and noted that Deputy President William Ruto will temporarily become president while he attends the ICC hearing.

Kenyatta is summoned to the ICC over his alleged role in masterminding post-election violence in 2007 and 2008, which claimed the lives of nearly 1,200 people and left 600,000 others displaced.

Kenyatta will become the first sitting president to appear at the ICC.

He had repeatedly argued that he needed to remain in Kenya and not go to the court in order to manage state affairs.

The Kenyan leader has appeared at the ICC before, but not since he was elected president in March 2013.

ASH/HMV/SS