Karanja Kibicho: We’ll not listen to insults from DP Ruto allies

Interior Principal Secretary Dr Karanja Kibicho addresses the media at Wang'uru Stadium in Kirinyaga County. [Courtesy]

Interior Principal Secretary Karanja Kibicho has dismissed Deputy President William Ruto and his allies over attacks directed at ministry top officials following the change of the security detail at the DP's official residence in Karen.

Addressing the media in Kirinyaga County on Friday, Kibicho dismissed the politicians’ remarks as baseless, adding that as a ministry they will stick to the statement they gave before the National Assembly Security and Administration Committee on Wednesday.

"Our work is not to politick but to serve the people. We support the statement given by the CS [Matiangi’] and it is up to Kenyans to decide whom to believe.

Kibicho, however, warned the politicians against insulting the CS and other ministry officials, saying insults don’t solve problems.

“There is a rise in personal attacks directed at some of us, I don’t understand how the politicians will benefit from such utterances,” he said.

He said that as ministry officials, they will continue with rearrangement of security matters and ensure there is law and order in the country without listening to sideshows.

On Thursday, UDA leaders threatened to expose top government officials and their questionable property should they continue disrespecting DP Ruto.

Led by Kikuyu MP Kimani Inchung’wah, the leaders accused Interior CS Fred Matiang’i’s of using National Assembly’s Committee on National Security and Administration to drive political propaganda against Ruto.

Ichungw’ah said instead of addressing the DP’s security changes undertaken by his ministry, Matiang’i paraded his [Ruto's] property including land some of which doesn't exist.

“You cannot use a parliamentary process to drive a political agenda, we will open the land conversation,”

He challenged Matiang’i to table evidence such as land title deeds to prove that indeed they belong to the DP, adding that the committee must demand the documents and evidence to that effect.

Ichung’wah alleged that PS Kibicho and his boss Matiang’i had questionable property in the city and had no moral authority to discuss Ruto’s property.

“We know them and their pieces of land, where did you get money to buy huge chunks of land in Kiserian used to plant onions,” he posed.

“One of them was a teacher living at Kahawa Sukari in a three-bedroom the other day, he now has a Sh500 million bungalow in Runda with heated swimming pools and wasbuilding Sh2 billion apartments in Kahawa,” he said.

Elgeyo Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen urged President Uhuru Kenyatta to call a Cabinet meeting and bring order to his government.

He said it was wrong for President Kenyatta to remain silent as his Cabinet Secretaries insult the second in command.

“DP Ruto sacrificed his sweat and resources for the formation of Jubilee and it is uncalled for junior government officials to disrespect him,” said Murkomen.

Mathira MP Rigathi Gachagua said if not stopped, CS Matiangi will burn the country, adding that he was being used to incite Kenyans living in Rift Valley.

“Matiang’i is being used to frustrate DP Ruto so that there can be chaos in Rift Valley, but you must not fall for their tricks,” he claimed.

The legislator said from next week UDA politicians will join the land debate and start asking who took Mau Mau land in Central and Rift Valley.

“We will ask Mau Mau land who took them, we will ask them. Thank God they have come up with that land topic.”

Kiambu Woman Rep Gathoni Wa Muchomba warned politicians allied to President Kenyatta to stop the land politics, saying if it begins they will not end it.

“Let us stop the land politics because when we start asking hard questions about land in this country, no one will respond, so let them stop it,” she said.

They said it was high time government officials changed their attention from Ruto to the Big Four Agenda and the Covid-19 vaccinations.