Keep off my fight on graft, Raila tells Ruto

Opposition leader Raila Odinga on Thursday told Deputy President William Ruto to keep off his fight against corruption insisting he will not be intimidate by anybody to relent his sustained war on the vice.

The Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (Cord) leader described a Jamhuri Day attack on him by President Uhuru Kenyatta and threat by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (Eacc) to have him arrested as unwarranted and escapist.

“(Mr) Ruto touched the wrong number. I am going nowhere and will instead step up the fight against corruption come the New Year,” said Mr Odinga.

Mr Ruto has accused the Opposition leader of economic sabotage following his sustained claims that Sh140 billion from the Euro Bond were stolen, a claim the government has denied.

He spoke at Kamasengere Primary School in Rusinga Island during Rusinga cultural Festival.

"I stayed in Kamiti for over eight years. I know all the corners which they themselves don't know. Let them not scare me with arrest, “he said reiterating a statement he had made when the anti-graft body wanted to arrest him, before backing out.

Mr Odinga said Mr Kenyatta had himself admitted before Pope Francis that there is corruption in his government and appealed for prayers.

He insisted that investigations on the Euro Bond saga must be carried out expeditiously and action taken against those behind it.

The Euro Bond was a Sh289 billion loan floated by the government on the Irish Stock Exchange and which the Opposition claims was not spent well.

"I will not relent until Kenyans are told the truth about the loss of taxpayer’s money. We have also written several letters to the international community to seek the truth about the Euro Bond,” he added.

Mr Odinga, who was accompanied by his wife Ida, said that Jubilee coalition leaders had dismissed him when he raised the red flag over the National Youth Service (NYS) scam only for Kenyans to be told of the loss of over Sh790m.

The EACC has said that former Devolution CS Anne Waiguru and her principal secretary Peter Mangiti among other senior officials at the NYS and the ministry were being investigated over the saga.

The former Prime Minister claimed that the former CS got money to purchase a palatial home worth Sh160m in cash.