I won’t be blamed for graft in Uhuru administration — Ruto

It’s now official. The political marriage between President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto is over. An acrimonious divorce could be in the offing.

In the clearest symbol that things have fallen apart, Ruto said he was glad to be an outsider in government because he would not be blamed for multibillion-shilling scandals rocking the Jubilee administration.

Ruto said the Covid-19 virus landed in Kenya as a multi-billion shilling corruption enterprise, lending credence to claims that the pandemic cash has been squandered.

“At least for once it won’t be possible to be blamed for what someone said started in Wuhan as a virus, landed in Italy as a pandemic and now in Kenya as a multi-billion-shilling corruption enterprise. Let me continue as a spectator. It’s ok,” Ruto tweeted.

The DP appears to be setting the stage to face the 2022 polls without the political baggage from the Jubilee administration by claiming that he was all along in the periphery.

Ruto’s office has previously been linked to many scandals, including the Sh39 billion military arms deal that was purportedly sealed in his office. 

The Thursday tweet was the second time in a week Ruto was distancing himself from the happenings in the Executive. He has previously defended the government from graft claims and dismissed even investigations as politicised.

The Arror and Kimwarer dam scandal is but just an example.

Ruto on Tuesday condemned the dramatic arrest of three senators terming it an abuse of the police and the criminal justice system.

“The abuse of police and criminal justice to bully citizens, threaten and intimidate leaders and now blackmail senate is wrong. Very wrong. It’s not the reason millions woke up early to vote for us,” he stated.

Senators Cleophas Malala (Kakamega), Steve Lelegwe (Samburu) and Christopher Langat (Bomet) were arrested on Monday, the same day the Senate was set to debate the contentious revenue sharing formula.

The statement is said to have angered government insiders.

Appearing before the Senate Security Committee, Interior CS Fred Matiang’i said each of the three senators were wanted by police for separate crimes they had committed in their home counties.

“Politicians should stop politicising matters of law enforcement; this is undermining the security of the country. No one is above the law in Kenya,”Matiang’i told the Senate.

On Wednesday, he dismissed reports that the called for the resignation of the DP over his statement on the police.

In a statement released by the Ministry, the CS threatened legal against NTV for the “erroneous and misleading” story.

Scoffing at the reports, Matiang’i said the fabrications were meant to cause disharmony in the government.

On August 11, Ruto alleged that the ‘deep state’ was out to scuttle his race to State House, projecting himself as an outsider in government.

The DP has numerous times accused the security apparatus, particularly the  Directorate of Criminal Investigations, of being used to destroy his office.

“I know there is a bigger scheme to destroy my office and ensure I do not go anywhere. The schemers are trying to threaten, undermine and demean my office in a bid to stop me. They may have the system but I have God,” an agitated Ruto said during the burial of Kipyegon Kenei in March.

Ruto has lately been pushed out from the centre of power and misses out on critical government meetings, including of the Cabinet.