DP Ruto defends government in Afya House graft scandal

Deputy President William Ruto addresses participants of a fundraiser at Sibanga Primary School in Cherangany, Trans Nzoia County, on October 29, 2016. He said the government in tackling graft. PHOTO | JARED NYATAYA | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Cord leader Raila Odinga had said some of the companies that benefitted from the transactions is associated with the President Uhuru Kenyatta’s relatives.
  • The Deputy President maintained that those who will be found culpable after completion of investigations will be prosecuted.

Deputy President William Ruto has said the Jubilee government is facing unfair criticism over the Sh5 billion graft scandal at the Health ministry, yet it is the one that commissioned an audit.

Speaking in Trans Nzoia County on Saturday, Mr Ruto also took issue with the manner in which owners of companies mentioned in the audit report have been “condemned for doing business”, saying every Kenyan has a right to conduct any legitimate transaction.

“We don’t want to be condemned on the basis of a graft audit report that was initiated by the government. We are not for corruption as a government.

"Everybody in Kenya has a right to engage in legitimate business. We should be concerned about the legality of the business they conducted and not why they engaged in the business,” he said at Sibanga Primary School during a funds drive for Cherang’any Boda Boda Sacco.

Cord leader Raila Odinga had said some of the companies that benefited from the transactions are associated with President Uhuru Kenyatta’s relatives.

“This scandal is President Kenyatta’s. He must deal with it as such. He must tell the country what he knows, when he knew it and what he did when he knew it,” Mr Odinga said during a press conference at his Capitol Hill Towers office, Nairobi, on Friday.

The Deputy President, however, maintained that those who will be found culpable after completion of investigations will be prosecuted.

“Our record in dealing with cases of graft as a government is clear since we have always taken firm and decisive decisions. We won’t protect any individual in this matter,” the DP said.

The saga notwithstanding, he said the government will not terminate the free maternity project, saying it has been of great benefit to expectant mothers.

“The programme has seen an increase in free child delivery services. We will continue offering the service to expectant mothers across the country,” he said.

The DP asked the Cord coalition to make allegations against the government based on facts.

“Our competition should be based on facts and not fabrications and fairy tales whose target is just to win political mileage among the electorates no matter what,” he said.

LOVE EDUCATION

Earlier in the day, Mr Ruto presided over the Last Mile Connectivity Programme in Kokotendwo village, West Pokot County.

He urged residents to embrace education and shun outdated practises for development to be realized in the area.

“We should change the bad narratives of cattle rustling and hunger. I will make sure that this area realises development....we have allocated enough money in schools and we want children from West Pokot to acquire education,” he said.

He also urged the residents to promote peace.

Ruto said the area will benefit from funds set aside to facilitate electricity connections in the county.

“The government will use Sh240 million to supply electricity in the whole West Pokot County and Sh60 million in Sigor constituency,” he said.

He said the government will open up new roads in the area, which are: Kamatira-Cheptongoi–Eldoret Road, Makutano-Konyao-Alale road and Kitale–Lodwar Highway.

He was accompanied by the county's Governor Simon Kachapin and Pokot Central MP Philip Rotino, among others.

REPORTS BY PHILIP BWAYO, IRENE MWENDWA AND OSCAR KAKAI