DP Ruto: I own most of the property listed by CS Matiang’i, but there is more

Deputy President William Ruto speaking at a church service on August 15, 2021, at St.Francis of Assisi Catholic Church Gatina in Kawangware.[Edward Kiplimo, Standard]

Deputy President William Ruto has admitted that he owns 70 per cent of the property listed by Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i.

However, Dr Ruto noted that the list of his assets presented before National Assembly National Security and Administration Committee on Wednesday by Dr Matiang’i fell shot of documenting all his accumulated wealth and welcomed a lifestyle audit.

“The Office of the President was 70 per cent right, but they added me some property like the Agricultural Development Corporation (ADC) land that is not mine,” stated the DP.

He even lauded the CS for doing better than the media which he said had carried a wrong lifestyle audit on him, associating him with property he does not own.

“In their illegal audit, the media gave me Six-Eighty Hotel and Boulevard which was not part of Matiang’i’s list,” Ruto said.

The DP revealed that he makes Sh1.5 million daily from the sale of eggs from 200,000 chicken on his farm in Uasin Gishu and hold 400,000 Safaricom shares and 80,000 Kenya Airways shares.

"They could have added that in my poultry business, I have 200,000 chicken and that I get 150,000 eggs daily which earns me Sh1.5 million daily," he said.

Ruto challenged Matiang'i to extend the lifestyle audit to other leaders so that Kenyans can also know what they own.

The DP said in an attempt to paint him rich, Matiang’i ended up defining to Kenyans what hustler means.

Ruto explained that "hustler’ means one can move from a humble background to be someone who is discussed in the media."

“A man who bought his first shoes from a Mr Onyango by the road can rise to become the DP and his property be published in the dailies, that is a good thing for other hustlers,” he said.

Matiang’í appeared before Parliament on Wednesday following summons after public uproar over replacement of the General Service Unit guarding the DP's residences with Administration Police.

Ruto yesterday termed the appearance of top Interior Ministry officials before Parliament a ploy to settle political scores with the intention to unjustly conduct his lifestyle audit. The DP who was speaking when hosted a group grassroots leaders from Bahati, Subukia, Nakuru East, Nakuru West, Molo and Rongai Constituencies at his Karen residence, Nairobi, yesterday, said the committee intentionally sought to besmirch him politically but it had worked in his favour.  

Ruto further said the number of officers listed as guarding him was grossly exaggerated and meant to smear his name and scarify him at the altar of political propaganda. He said some leaders had opted to engage in non-issues instead of addressing problems facing the mwananchi.

“Let us engage and work together towards making Kenya a country of possibilities. We must create jobs and support enterprises to sprout and flourish. That way, we will tame poverty and take Kenya back to the growth path,” he said.

Ruto assured aspirants seeking United Democratic Alliance (UDA) ticket of free and fair nominations.

“Our nomination certificates will not be about how close you are to the DP or powerful politicians in the new party,” he said.

The DP said even those who want to vie for presidency are free to join the party and take him head-on.

“Those who want to run against me, let them come out and declare their candidature, we will compete fairly and the winner will be given the ticket,” he added.

Ruto urged Kenyans to shun politics of hate and division and unveil national parties that will steer the development agenda. Senators Susan Kihika (Nakuru), Millicent Omanga (Nominated) , Kipchumba Murkomen (Elgeyo/Marakwet) and Irungu Kang’ata (Muranga) and MPs Mathias Robi (Kuria West), Kimani Ichungwa( Kikuyu) David Gikaria (Nakuru Town East)  Gathoni Wa Muchomba (Kiambu County MP), Rahab Mukami (Nyeri county MP),  Wangui Ngirici (Kirinyaga county MP), Cecily Mbarire (nominated), Nimrod Mbai (Kitui East), Silvanus Osoro (South Mugirango) and Rigathi Gachagua (Mathira) were also present during the meeting.

The leaders warned that selective application of the law could hurt the country’s unity. They claimed that observed that the “lifestyle audit” on the DP was malicious and fake. Mbarire said it was unfortunate that most CSs had for the past four years elected to fight Ruto.

“They are liabilities in this Government. We will not fall into their trap of dividing this country,” she said.

Wamuchomba lauded Matiang'i for bringing the land matter.

"I am surprised that the CS started a sensitive issue of land. We know this is a debate that when we begin some people will look for where to hide. The same people I represent in Kiambu and who fought for independence and we know who has their lands," she said.

Gachagua claimed that other leaders had ganged up against Ruto because he was popular. Mr Ichungw’ah said it was time to shift focus from the DP to the Big Four agenda.

“We wasted four years promoting and coercing Kenyans to rally behind the retrogressive Building Bridges Initiative. Now that we have 10 months to go, let the President attend to his legacy. Failure to do that, he will leave office a disgraced man,” said the Kikuyu MP.

Murkomen argued that leadership had been cheapened and risked plunging the country to a further economic crisis.