Three of the six suspects accused of orchestrating deadly post-election violence in Kenya are set to appear before the International Criminal Court on Thursday.

Former Kenyan education minister William Ruto, former industrialization minister Henry Kosgey and radio executive Joshua arap Sang face charges of crimes against humanity at the hearing at The Hague.

On Tuesday, the ICC rejected the Kenyan government's argument that the cases against the men should be dropped.

The court's appeals chamber said the cases were admissible, upholding a previous ruling that said the government had failed to provide evidence that it is investigating or prosecuting the six suspects.

Charges against the six men include murder, rape, torture and forced evictions.

About 1,300 people were killed in riots and ethnic violence triggered by Kenya's disputed 2007 presidential election. More than 300,000 were also displaced.

Following the election, critics accused incumbent President Mwai Kibaki of stealing the election from Prime Minister Raila Odinga through fraud. The two leaders later formed Kenya's current power-sharing government.

The Kenyan government initially had agreed to cooperate with the ICC probe into the violence, but changed its position earlier this year.

The suspects are being tried in two cases. The other suspects — Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta, Cabinet secretary Francis Kirimi Muthaura, and former police chief Mohammed Hussein Ali — are scheduled to appear before ICC judges on September 21.