Kenya's deputy prime minister is set to appear before the International Criminal Court on charges he helped orchestrate deadly post-election violence in his country.

Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta is scheduled to attend a hearing at The Hague on Wednesday, along with two co-defendants, Kenyan Cabinet Secretary Francis Kirimi Muthaura and former police chief Mohammed Hussein Ali.

Kenyatta and Muthaura are accused of being indirect co-conspirators in violence that swept Kenya after a disputed presidential poll in 2007.

The two are charged with crimes against humanity that include murder, forcible transfer of population, rape, persecution and other inhuman acts. Former police chief Ali is accused of contributing to the crimes.

The ICC panel will rule on whether there is enough evidence against the suspects to put them on trial.

The ICC opened similar hearing earlier this month against three other prominent Kenyans. Former education minister William Ruto, former industrialization minister Henry Kosgey and radio executive Joshua Arap Sang are also accused of crimes against humanity stemming from the post-election unrest.

About 1,300 people were killed in riots and ethnic violence that erupted after the disputed election in December 2007. The unrest also displaced more than 300,000 people.

Critics accused incumbent President Mwai Kibaki of stealing the 2007 election from Prime Minister Raila Odinga through fraud. The two leaders later agreed to form Kenya's current power-sharing government.