Deputy President William Ruto-Anne Waiguru war of words on Sh791m NYS looting escalates

Deputy President William Ruto (right) chats with Cherangany MP Wesley Korir and personal aide Farouk Kibet (centre) during a fundraiser in aid of a boda boda sacco in Charengany Constituency, Trans Nzoa County at the weekend. Ruto yesterday sustained attacks on former Devolution Cabinet Secretary Anne Waiguru over the National Youth Service scam. (PHOTO: PETER OCHIENG/ STANDARD)

Deputy President William Ruto yesterday sustained attacks on former Devolution Cabinet Secretary Anne Waiguru over the National Youth Service scam.

For the second day in a row, the Deputy President stepped up the onslaught, saying those behind the scam should be behind bars, adding that some of the corruption evidence is in the public domain ‘and there is no need of investigations’.

Appropriate action 

Ruto said there is evidence that money was lost and  appropriate action should be taken against those implicated in the theft.

“Give us a break. Those behind theft of public funds cannot be ‘cat-walking’ around freely giving Kenyans a lot of ‘English lectures’ on what actually transpired. Let us be honest and call a spade a spade. It is open public funds were lost,” said an agitated Mr Ruto.

“Surely, when a hairdresser (referring to Ms Josephine Kabura) registers 20 companies and confesses that she actually carried millions in sacks, what else do you want?” posed the DP, in reference to one of the key suspects in the scam, and who has also linked Waiguru to the scandal.

Yesterday, the former CS responded, saying she has no interest in public exchanges with Ruto or those others speaking in public gatherings on a matter that is being handled by competent government agencies.

Ms Waiguru challenged Ruto to appear before the Public Accounts Committee of the National Assembly or other investigative agencies to give his evidence.

“I reiterate that all I have done is appeared before the PAC upon being summoned and given my version of events supported by facts and evidence. If the Deputy President or National Assembly Majority Leader Aden Duale or others have facts to assist in this or any other investigation, the appropriate thing to do would be to appear before the EACC, DCI, or PAC like I and other witnesses did and present the evidence,” she said.

She went on: “Anything else is not only against the Standing Orders but can be construed as politicising an ongoing inquiry and an attempt to subvert the process. Finally I, like many Kenyans, are curious about what regarding my submissions has made the Deputy President and his close allies so uncomfortable that they have to comment on this matter in public gatherings. This is indeed very telling. And as I said, Kenyans are very intelligent people. They are following the events very closely and will not be fooled.”

Waiguru added: “Specifically for Duale - I agree am not the DP’s equal. So why is he spending too much time attacking me?”

Ruto spoke yesterday at PCEA Zimmerman Church at a fundraiser accompanied by some Jubilee leaders who also plunged into the raging feud between the two.

“Let everyone carry their own cross,” said Starehe MP Maina Kamanda.

Other leaders accompanying the DP were area MP Waihenya Ndirangu, Dagoretti South Dennis Waweru, Nairobi Women MP Rachel Shebesh, Senator Mike Sonko and nominated MP Isaac Mwaura.

Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria criticised what he described “the desperate attempts by Waiguru to sink with everything besides her”,  claiming she was being propelled by three forces.

“First, there are those who were hell-bent on installing you as a pseudo Prime Minister. They are still very angry and disappointed at your fall. Secondly, you are now the crown princess of a faction that is hell-bent on ensuring that William Ruto does not become the fifth President of the Republic of Kenya,” he said.

The DP’s comments add fire to an already simmering situation between the DP and his allies on one side, and Waiguru on the other, days after the former CS dragged the buck to Ruto’s doorstep, and asked him to keep off investigations being undertaken by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC).

Mentioned aide

During her appearance before the PAC, Waiguru mentioned an aide to the DP, Farouk Kibet and Elgeyo Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen, as among beneficiaries of the NYS loot.

The comments re-enacted perceptions of the uneasy relations between Waiguru and some of the DP’s allies beginning 2014, when claims emerged that Marianne Keitany, then the DP’s Chief of Staff had influenced MPs in a plot to impeach Waiguru.

Ms Kitany, then a powerful figure around the DP, was claimed to have diverted Sh100 million from the legislative and inter-governmental relations office to mobilise MPs in the abortive campaign in July 2014 to impeach Waiguru.