No political link to war on drugs, says DP William Ruto in Coast tour

Deputy President William Ruto is on a tour of the Coast region in bid to mobilise residents to register as voters in the August Election. (Photo: Edward Kiplimo/Standard)

Deputy President William Ruto has stated that Jubilee is not riding on the war on drugs to gain political mileage.

Ruto was responding to claims that, together with President Uhuru Kenyatta, they are using the renewed fight as a campaign tool as search for votes intensifies across the country ahead of August General Election.

The DP, who is on a tour of the Coast region, said that the Jubilee administration’s crackdown on narcotics has been consistent since they took office in 2013.

He cited the blowing up of a ship laden with drugs worth Sh1.3 billion that was witnessed by President Uhuru in August 2014 as a sign that the administration has been keen to deal with the menace.

In August 2015, a Singapore-registered luxury yacht laden with narcotics that was seized off the Coast in Kilifi County was blown up and sunk in the Indian Ocean. This was witnessed by Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph Nkaissery.

Since the extradition of the Akasha brothers to the US, there has been a war of words over who is shielding drug barons in the country, with both political divides casting blame on each other.

Ruto, during his Coast region tour, said officers have been given instructions on how to deal with the war on drugs and terrorism, even as claims abound that some individuals in the police force have been compromised.

“There could be a few individuals in the police force that have been compromised by the drug barons, but a lot is happening to deal with the suspects. Action is being taken on those suspected to have been compromised by the drug dealers,” said Ruto.

He has on several occasions said that there is no place in Kenya for those who will be found guilty of the trade.