DP Ruto would do well to jettison tainted hangers-on, not fight back

Deputy President William Ruto speaks at Soul Harvesters International in Dandora, Nairobi County, on February 16, 2020. He needs to let go of supporters who are tarnishing his reputation. PHOTO | JONAH MWANGI | DPPS

What you need to know:

  • Instead of thoughtful, well-reasoned responses, Mr Ruto cries political victimisation and also points fingers at others.
  • The net effect of the DP’s responses is to reinforce the perception that his office is, indeed, the epicentre of corruption.

“I am shocked and dismayed to learn that persons, some of them known to me, gained access to my office in furtherance of insidious fraud involving fake military tenders worth some Sh40 billion.

“The Directorate of Criminal Investigations must be commended for the swift action that resulted in the arrest of the suspects. I urge the police to move with equal haste to arrest all the co-conspirators who may still be at large and ensure that all of them face the full force of the law.

“I hereby direct that any of my office staff who may have been involved with the fraudsters, including facilitating entry to the Harambee House Annex office complex and use of facilities therein, stand suspended forthwith. All staff within the Office of the Deputy President who may have useful information are directed to produce it to the investigators.

“On my part, the police can be assured of full cooperation, including recording of any statement if so required, and full and unhindered access to the crime scene.

“One cannot gainsay the fact that penetration of the Office of Deputy President to the scale described is a very serious matter.

“We have heard previously that State House, the Office of President at Harambee House, the Department of Defence headquarters and other sensitive government offices have been infiltrated by fraudsters in similar fashion.

“Indeed, some cases are already in court and others at various stages of investigation.

“Beyond simple fraud and forgery, all these cases reveal a frightening pattern that must now be investigated as serious threat to national security.

“The security breaches evident dictate that all those who may be involved in desecration of strategic offices be treated as traitors and charged accordingly.

“In the meantime, I would urge an end to needless speculation, rumour and politicisation of the matter. I would want to place on record my insistence that any friends or political associates who end up on the wrong side of the law must bear individual responsibility.

“By the same token, we must all resist the temptation to exploit these criminal actions by pointing fingers for political purposes. The police must be given time and space to do their work without unnecessary distraction.”

TWITTER TIRADES

If I were Deputy President William Ruto, this is the kind of statement I would have released in the wake of the arrest of former Cabinet Secretary Rashid Echesa and others in the fake Sh40 billion military procurement saga.

However, Mr Ruto went into his usual attack mode, using social media to point fingers at his political detractors.

It has now become the norm that when the DP’s political allies are caught up in scandals, he unleashes Twitter tirades that add more heat than light.

Instead of thoughtful, well-reasoned responses, Mr Ruto cries political victimisation and also points fingers at others whom he says are also corrupt yet not attracting the attention of the police.

Too often, it seems that Mr Ruto’s enemies are within, as seen especially in the knee-jerk tweets instead of a structured and professional communications system.

The net effect of the DP’s responses, which are swiftly echoed by his social media mouthpieces and excitable political allies, is to reinforce the perception that his office is, indeed, the epicentre of corruption.

ADMISSION OF GUILT

The essential message of Mr Ruto’s Twitter responses amounts to admission of guilt.

The DP wonders why he is the only one targeted while others whose offices have also been mentioned in corruption cases remain untouched.

His messaging also encourages all manner of scoundrels facing criminal probes to seek shelter under his wings with the tired refrain that they are victimised because of support for the DP’s political ambitions.

These are not the kind of fellows Mr Ruto needs in his corner.

Having been so badly tarred, the DP needs to do himself a big favour and jettison from his entourage all those self-seeking individuals who might be exploiting proximity to his office for personal gain.

He must also put on a tight leash all those whose interventions on his behalf do him more harm than good.

* * *

The death of former President Daniel arap Moi granted us a welcome respite from polarising political rallies purporting to be pushing the reform cause under the Building Bridges Initiative.

But now, the BBI rallies are about to resume, bringing premature political jostling to the fore once again.

We heard many times that BBI was actually in sync with the departed president’s quest for peace and national unity. If so, we should suspend the divisive rallies and seek a structured national dialogue.

[email protected] @MachariaGaitho