Isaac Ruto to take Aden Duale to court over funds misuse claim

Bomet Governor Isaac Ruto on Tuesday threatened to sue National Assembly Majority Leader Aden Duale over claims that he misappropriated funds meant for county development.

Governor Ruto said it was unfair for Mr Duale to peddle falsehoods about him.

“It is absurd for the likes of Mr Duale to peddle falsehood against me over corruption that does not exist and further (invoke) the names of my parents in the framed-up financial scandals,” Mr Ruto said.

“I will stop at nothing but to take Duale to court so that he can tell Kenyans where and when I misappropriated the monies he is talking about,” he said

On Monday, Mr Duale claimed that the Bomet governor had failed to account for Sh184 million meant for development.

Mr Duale’s claims prompted Mr Ruto to rise up from his seat and walk towards the podium, but he was stopped by local leaders.

“You can run around the country, you can call for (a) referendum, but one day you will appear before the Senate. Isaac Ruto, you must appear before the Senate,” said a Mr Duale.

INTERVENE

It took the intervention of Narok County Governor Samuel Tunai, Senator Stephen ole Ntutu, County Commissioner Farah Kassim Farah, MCA Kuya ole Kijabe and the deputy president’s security officers to persuade Mr Ruto to go back to his seat.

Mr Ruto on Tuesday asked the top leadership not to be infuriated by their push to have more resources allocated to counties to the extent of coming up with propaganda and accusing governors of issues they could not substantiate.

“The truth of the matter is that the national government owes two of the defunct local authorities in his county, Bomet municipal and Bomet council, Sh176 million, being charges in lieu of rates, and I wonder why the government is running away from settling the debt and purporting that I have squandered the money that in the first place is not there,” he said.

The governor spoke at public meeting at Kapkimolwo Trading Centre in Bomet County. He was accompanied by his deputy, Stephen Mutai.

Mr Ruto said besides pushing for the allocation of more funds to counties, governors were also pressurising the national government to devolve the management of forests, land, roads and development of infrastructures in both public primary and secondary schools.