Tag Archives: William Ruto

The United Democratic Alliance (UDA) presidential candidate, William Ruto, has written to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) chairman, Wafula Chebukati, over alleged plans to rig the upcoming General Election.

In a letter dated Saturday, July 30, and made public on August 3, UDA national chief agent, Abraham Kithure Kindiki, implicated President Uhuru Kenyatta in a scheme to use public officers to interfere with the electoral process.

Kindiki argued that police officers and national government administrators were being used to compromise the August 9 votes in favour of Azimio La Umoja’s Raila Odinga.

*Tharaka Nithi Senator Kithure Kindiki pictured on April 9, 2022.* PHOTO: COURTESY

“We have received credible information that the Office of the President is deploying police officers to intimidate and harass voters to support the presidential candidate for Azimio,”
Kindiki’s letter read in part.

He further alleged that the government had resorted to voter bribery by deploying administrators on the election date to compromise voters in Kenya Kwanza strongholds.

“We have also reliably learnt that the public officers may be deployed by the state to induce voters and in some cases intimidate them by compromising the peace on the election day.”

The outgoing Tharaka Nithi Senator accused the Head of State of committing an electoral offence, not only by publicly endorsing a presidential candidate but also by allegedly using state resources to fund his campaign.

“Section 16 of the Public Officers Ethics Act (2003) requires complete political neutrality by all public officers and prohibits them from acting as agents for or furthering the interests of a political party or candidate in an election,”
Kindiki argued.

Ruto wants the Chebukati-led Commission to launch investigations into the reports arguing that it may undermine the credibility of the August 9 polls.

On Wednesday, August 3, the President, while on a tour of Kisii, termed the recent complaints by his deputy as kicks of a dying horse after realising that his presidential bid was in turmoil.

He likened Ruto to a driver of a bus who had an untrustworthy conductor who deviated his attention from the road. He added that the ‘driver’ ends up losing control and lands the vehicle in a ditch.

Interior Cabinet Secretary, Fred Matiang’i, has also exonerated himself and his Principal Secretary, Karanja Kibicho, from accusations that they were the masterminds of buying national ID cards and distributing inciteful pamphlets.

Local News

Beijing reacts after DP Ruto expressed plans to deport Chinese

August 3, 2022 Ian Amulega

China is said to be closely following Kenya’s election, considering that its bilateral ties with the country are at stake.

One of the issues that saw Beijing shift its focus to the August 9 polls is the controversial statement made by Deputy President William Ruto who threatened to deport Chinese nationals in retail trade.

Despite refraining from stating its position on the matter, reports indicate that the sentiments caused jitters in Beijing.

“A senior aide to Ruto, who has been in contact with Chinese officials, admitted that the comments went down badly in Beijing,”
UK-based Financial Times reported.

Kenya’s ambassador to Kenya, Zhou Pingjian, is also yet to speak on the August 9 general election which has focused more on economic recovery. Offsetting China’s loans is one of the measures all four presidential candidates are exploring.

DP Ruto in different sets of interviews and rallies spoke against China’s influence on Kenya, from job creation to loans.

“These are Kenyan businesses and for those engaged in them, we have enough aeroplanes to deport them back to where they came from,”
Ruto said.

“That Chinese nationals are roasting maize and selling mobile phones! All those businesses are for Kenyans,”
he added.

His allies also vowed to hold Beijing accountable for what they argued were poorly disbursed loans that were embezzled rather than developing the nation.

“We know the owners of the newly constructed Nairobi Expressway. We are telling the Chinese government that we will hold you and your companies to account. Any government that gives loans and debts in the next two months, you are violating the constitution,”
Garissa Town MP Aden Duale stated during a rally in Kamukunji, Nairobi County on Saturday, June 4.

In an interview on KTN News on Thursday, July 7, the DP was as well drawn to the debate on the Nairobi Expressway, pledging to remove charges for motorists using the road.
He, however, assured that he would pay Kenya’s debt to China through avocado exportation. Ruto is seeking the presidency for the first time in his political career, running on a United Democratic Alliance (UDA) ticket.

Other than the DP, Roots Party presidential candidate, George Wajackoyah also promised to deport idle foreigners in the city and repay Kenya’s debt to China through bhang farming, snake rearing and exporting hyena testicles.

Azimio La Umoja flagbearer, Raila Odinga, however, promised to improve diplomatic relations with all foreign superpowers.

“China came in as a result of many African nations’ failure to raise capital for infrastructure development. Working with China is not to the exclusion of the rest. We want to work with everyone else. We want Europeans to come & invest in Africa,”
he stated in May 2022.

A July 2022 report released by the development firm, Inter Region Economic Network (IREN), revealed that Kenya and other African countries prefer taking loans from China as the Asian nation is quick on decision-making and completes projects on time.

Beijing was also credited with minimal interference in host nation politics.

In the same month, the Chinese ambassador to Kenya, Zhou Pingjian, refuted reports that China has overburdened Kenya with loans. Kenya, he said, owes China only 10 per cent of its total debt.

Among the key projects built by the Chinese in Kenya are the Nairobi Expressway, the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) and the Thika Superhighway.

Politics & Governance

Uhuru talks tough on Bungoma residents following latest opinion polls

August 3, 2022 Ian Amulega

President Uhuru Kenyatta has warned Bungoma County residents over the latest opinion polls that indicate that the county will be a swing vote in the August 9 polls.

Speaking on Tuesday, August 2, during the inspection of the rehabilitation of the Nzoia Sugar Company, Uhuru told the residents that they risked being left out of government.

He told locals that supporting his deputy, William Ruto, was akin to playing with fire and that only Azimio flag-bearer Raila Odinga would save them.

*President Uhuru Kenyatta addresses residents of Bungoma County during the inspection of the rehabilitation of Nzoia Sugar Company on Tuesday, August 2, 2022. PHOTO: COURTESY*

“My people in Bungoma, do not play with fire, you have already done that and got burned. Do you want to go back to the fire or to be saved? If so, the only way to get saved is Raila,”
he reiterated.

“This factory would have been producing 20 times as much as it is today if leaders really cared about sugar cane farmers and the people of Bungoma.

The Head of State told them not to fall for the sweet nothing by Kenya Kwanza principals Musalia Mudavadi and Moses Wetangula, whom he claimed had nothing to show despite being in government for decades.

“Some of them have been Cabinet Ministers since retired President Moi’s term in power, have any improvements been done to this company? And do you expect them to do anything now?”
Uhuru posed.

Bungoma County has become a headache for Raila Odinga’s Azimio camp in the Western region owing to the influence of FORD Kenya party which has dominated the county politics for decades.

Ken Lusaka, who was the pioneer county governor was elected on a Ford Kenya party ticket in 2013 before being ousted by Wycliffe Wangamati who ran on the same ticket in 2017.

In a poll released by Infotrak, Raila led in Bungoma with 46 per cent popularity and was closely followed by the DP at 44 percentage points.

According to the data from the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Bungoma County has a total of 635,146 votes.

DP Ruto confronts Matiang’i, NIS over leaflets circulating in his backyard

Bungoma County has nine constituencies: Mt Elgon, Sirisia, Kabuchai, Bumula, Kanduyi, Webuye East, Webuye West, Kimilili and Tongaren.

A split in the votes cast would dent Raila’s bid to secure the threshold – 50 per cent plus one votes – to be declared the winner of the election in first round.

While Raila has enjoyed favourable support in Western Kenya, Ruto has been burning midnight oil to wrestle the vote-rich region from his political opponent.

Politics & Governance

DP Ruto’s allies express discontent over huge number of cops deployed in Ruto’s backyard

August 2, 2022 Ian Amulega

Deputy President William Ruto’s allies have come out to fault a decision by Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i to deploy more security officers in his perceived strongholds.

This is after the CS announced that security would be beefed up in Nakuru, Eldoret, Kuresoi and Molo areas ahead of August 9 polls.

UDA Nakuru county gubernatorial candidate Susan Kihika lashed out at the Interior boss, claiming that his directive would only cause panic in the region.

*Deputy President William Ruto and Senator Susan Kihika in Nakuru County on February 11, 2022. COURTESY SUSAN KIHIKA*

“Ridiculous! Matiangi’s goal is to create tension in Nakuru, which is peaceful. There is no justification for deploying General Service Unit (GSU) officers to Molo & Kuresoi,”
Kihika claimed.

The outspoken senator further accused Matiang’i of being used by the government to intimidate the residents in areas where UDA enjoys a massive following in a bid to stop them from exercising their civil right to vote on August 9.

She opined that deploying officers just because of the inflammatory leaflets circulating in the region-which the Kenya Kwanza brigade has sensationally linked to Matiang’i and PS Karanja Kibicho -was unnecessary.

“His intention is to suppress the vote in our strongholds. The same individuals behind the inciting leaflets are using them as an excuse to deploy GSU! Shameless!”
Kihika ranted.

In an earlier statement, Matiang’i explained that the decision which had been approved by the National Security Council was made based on an assessment that revealed the regions were vulnerable to violence.

“Police have got eight suspects in custody in connection with the circulation of those leaflets,
and investigations continue. We have teams on the ground that have been working here for a
long time, and we are collecting more intelligence in real-time,”
Fred Matiangi said.

“The GSU officers are not here for any particular aggression but to demonstrate that we are ready to rise up to any challenge that may come up. We are also going to increase surveillance and patrol in the areas,”
the CS reiterated.

In addition, a multi-agency command centre has been established in Nakuru to provide 24/7 surveillance and prompt response should the need arise.

He added that eight suspects had been arrested in connection with the circulating leaflets. Notably, the security boss dismissed claims that the leaflets were a project by employees in the office of the president.

Speaking in Nyeri, UDA running mate Rigathi Gachagua insisted that the Interior CS and PS were using chiefs to campaign for Azimio candidate Raila Odinga.

He called on the administrators to stick to their job descriptions, adding that they should use the financial incentives allegedly offered to them to improve the welfare of their wives.