Ruto allies now demand list of properties owned by VVIPs

Kericho Senator Aaron Cheruiyot.

Politicians allied to Deputy President William Ruto are now demanding a list of properties owned by other VVIPs.

The demands come just hours after Interior CS Fred Matiangi made revelations of the number of security details attached to DP Ruto.

While appearing before the National Assembly Security Committee, Matiangi said there are 257 highly trained officers looking after the DP.

He said the security detail is divided in three layers.

According to him, the inner layer has 74 officers drawn from the presidential escort team, 5 highly trained GSU officers and six DCI who provide personal protection to the DP.

The second layer of 121 officers are from the Administration Police and Prisons Service, all of who are providing security at the DP’s various residences.

The outer layer well known as an auxiliary layer is in charge of DP's other active life including business and economic life and areas where he is likely to spend more time.

For instance, at Kitengela gas there are 6 officers, Weston hotel 6, Murumbi land 6, ADC Laikipia Ranch 6, Dolphin hotel 6, Matter farm Eldoret 6, Elgon View private residence 4, poultry Farm Eldoret 4, private Residence Eldoret 4 and Wilson Airport private hanger 4.

But Ruto had earlier on said instead of parliament wasting its time interrogating Matiangi over the matter, it should focus on other pressing issues.

"Parliamentary time should not be wasted on non-issues. The AP is a professional security service and those who think it’s a downgrade are wrong. Parliament should instead focus on deployment to serious security situations in areas where bandits are causing mayhem and destruction," the DP tweeted.

Ruto's office in a rejoinder distanced itself from some of the properties listed.

"To underscore Matiangi's recklessness, many properties allocated to the Deputy President are in fact not his," Secretary of Communication David Mugonyi said.

Matiangi said Ruto has the highest number of security details in Kenya's history as the bearer of the office of the Deputy President.

These revelations did however not go well with his close allies.

The Law Society of Kenya President Nelson Havi said, "Fred Matiang’i and Karanja Kibicho are grandmasters of alternative facts and lies layering. Is it not a matter of public knowledge that GSU officers at the offices and residences of the Deputy President were replaced with AP officers? Parliament should not be hoodwinked."

Kericho Senator Aaron Cheruiyot said the unintended consequence of the not-so-intelligent revelations by the CS will be beneficial to the Republic.

“This is a very much welcome debate. Let's have a list of all property owned by the VVIP's and the police officers deployed to guard them including the dead," the Senator said.

Nominated Senator Millicent Omanga took to her social media page and said, "Instead of explaining to Kenyans why the government withdrew DP's security, the CS interior went to parliament to tabulate his properties for political expediency. Now tell us what others own and the security deployment to those properties."