Raila is just envious, says Ruto after questions on his harambee cash

MPs Dennis Waweru (Dagoretti South), Maina Kamanda (Starehe), Ziwani Ward Representative Millicent Mugadi, nominated Senator Beth Mugo and Deputy President William Ruto after attending a church service at Ziwani AIC church. [Photo: Tabitha Otwori/Standard]

The political ping-pong between Deputy President William Ruto and Opposition leader Raila Odinga continued Sunday with the former laughing off the latter's demands that he declares the source of his hefty donations at harambees.

Coming hot on the heels of Mr Raila's demands that the DP steps aside after conceding he owns the controversial Weston Hotel, Ruto claimed that the former premier was 'mean' and that is why he was questioning the sources of his wealth.

A fortnight ago, Ruto said Raila should not be bitter with him for losing the 2013 polls.

"President Uhuru Kenyatta beat Raila, not me. I was his running mate and I beat Kalonzo (Musyoka) who was Raila's running-mate," said the DP, even though constitutionally a presidential candidate and his or her running mate are voted for as a pair, not individually.

Ruto claimed that Kalonzo, who has his own presidential ambitions, was a weak running mate who Raila should sidestep if he wants to do well in future elections.

Kalonzo has since responded to Ruto's claim with the rider that this was not only a diversionary tactic, adding that Uhuru and Ruto were presiding over a corrupt administration. Kalonzo claimed Uhuru was a dictator and Ruto a man with "heavy baggage".

"It would be a waste of precious time trying to respond to Ruto's unsolicited advice...suffice to say that Ruto has enough personal baggage to grapple with," retorted Kalonzo.

Sunday, Ruto used the Bible to respond to Raila's demands that he tells the country his source of cash and a lifestyle audit done.

Raila also wanted to know if the cash regularly donated by Uhuru and Ruto was "public taxes disguised as personal donations".

"It is more blessing to give than to receive. I find many people struggling to fathom why they should give and it's because they have not understood the secret of giving to God," the DP said Sunday at the African Inland Church, Nairobi.

Ruto defended the millions of shillings they donate across the country, claiming Raila was envious of what the "Lord has blessed them with as reward of their generosity".

The Deputy President said harambees will not stop and asked Raila to join them because "there is a reward in giving".

On Saturday, Raila said the source of millions of shillings that Ruto and Uhuru have been dishing out should be probed but Ruto had a prompt response for him.

The DP singled out a harambee he presided over in Raila's home turf of Bondo the other Sunday before asking the congregation, "to pray for them so that they can start giving".

"There are many people who are complaining that I went to Bondo to contribute for the Anglican Church. I ask you to pray for them to understand the secret of blessings," Ruto said.

The DP cited a Biblical verse on the rewards associated with giving.

"In the Book of Haggai the prophet told them to investigate their ways. You have planted much, but harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it," he said.

"There are those who instead of going to contribute to construct a church they have gone up the hill to construct a house worth Sh1 billion," he added.

On Saturday, Raila said returns from companies associated with Uhuru and Ruto were well known.