Turkish national in DP William Ruto’s botched Uganda trip detained

Turkish national Harun Aydin landed at Wilson Airport on Saturday morning, August 7, 2021. [File, Standard]

Harun Aydin, the Turkish national who was to accompany Deputy President William Ruto to Uganda last Monday, has been detained.

Aydin was stopped from continuing with his journey upon arriving in Kenya, from Uganda, via Wilson Airport on Saturday, August 7.

It remains unclear why he was detained, though sources told The Standard his luggage was subjected to inspection by a special unit of the National Police Service.

A senior police officer confirmed to The Standard that Aydin was swooped up upon landing in Nairobi.

“It is true he has been detained. If you want more information, reach out to the Office of the Inspector-General of Police,” the source, who is a high ranking officer at the Anti-Terror Police Unit, said at 2:15pm Saturday.

The Standard’s attempts to get a comment from IG Hillary Mutyambai’s office were futile.

Lawyer Ahmednasir Abdullahi claimed the State had refused to grant Aydin a right of legal representation.

“Apparently, the right to counsel of one’s choice doesn’t apply to Turkish national, Mr. Harun Aydin, [who has been] arrested by the Kenyan police. I have been denied access to see him allegedly ‘on orders from above’,” tweeted Abdullahi.

Elgeyo-Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen said the Government detained Aydin to save face for “blocking Ruto’s trip to Uganda without any justifiable reason”.

“Harun Aydin is an investor recognised by the Government of Kenya, and [was] issued with a valid class G permit. The only reason he has been arrested is because the authorities are embarrassed after blocking DP from going to Uganda, and they want to continue the pettiness they have displayed for four years,” said Murkomen on Twitter.

Interior Principal Secretary Karanja Kibicho, in an interview on Wednesday, said the Deputy President was stopped from travelling out of the country over “lack of requisite documents”.

More soon.