Ruto in tight spot over Wanjigi-NASA connection, dismisses links
Deputy President William Ruto has dismissed claims he is being funded by Jimmy Wanjigi.
He said questions on the businessman should be directed to Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka.
Kalonzo last week claimed that Wanjigi was funding Ruto to aid the Jubilee campaigns for August 8 elections.
“…mwenye kupea Ruto pesa zote ni Jimmy Wanjigi…mahali walikosania nauliza Wanjigi ambie wakenya ukweli kuhusu Ruto,” Kalonzo said during a rally.
(It is Wanjigi who funds Ruto..we dont know where they clashed…let him tell Kenyans the truth about Ruto)
But during an interview with Citizen TV on Sunday, Ruto said it is Kalonzo who should answer the funding allegations.
“Kalonzo should answer the allegations…instead of dropping names, the name Wanjigi did not come from me. It came from Kalonzo.”
“So, he must be knowing more that I do about Wanjigi and corruption cartel,” the DP said.
“…he must get the opportunity to explain to Kenyans how he knows Wanjigi. The media is awash with the allegations being made of who is funding who?”
“…our competitors need to explain why they are in cohorts with people of all manner of records,” Ruto said.
The DP said he knew Wanjigi but noted that he has never funded him in any way.
“I know Wanjigi very well and many Kenyans know him too. However, he has never funded me in anywhere and in whatever manner,” he said.
Wanjigi introduced me to Kalonzo
He further dismissed claims that they introduced Kalonzo to Wanjigi saying it was the other way round.
Kalonzo in his book “Against All Odds” said he was betrayed by President Uhuru Kenyatta and Ruto after they arrived at his home with Wanjigi before the 2013 elections.
“…that is a lot of nonsense. We did not introduce Wanjigi to Kalonzo. It is Wanjigi who introduced us to Kalonzo. He is the one who organised the meeting,” Ruto said.
Ruto said the NASA deputy presidential candidate should explain to Kenyans the truth about what transpired the night that they met.
“As for the other details of this meeting, Kalonzo should know better. We did not engage Kalonzo after the said night because he told us a very weird thing,” he said.
“He told us to allow him to become the president, in any case, we will be in jail for 10 years,” Ruto said.
The two were facing charges at the ICC at the time. The charges were dropped for lack of evidence.
He said what Kalonzo told them was a turn-off and that they did not want to engage him anymore in their plans.
“That is how we left Kalonzo’s house in a hurry as we realised we were not dealing with a friend. We never negotiated with Kalonzo on him being a flag bearer,” Ruto said.
Further, Ruto said he has no problem with Wanjigi adding that he never said he was linked to the Anglo leasing scam.
“We have never had a problem with him. It is Kalonzo who should be asked about the introduction of Jimmy in these issues.”
“Our competitors should be telling us where they get the names of those allegedly involved in corruption,” he said.
Wanjigi cartel connection
On June 30, NASA turned the heat on Jubilee and Ruto, calling the latter the “chief priest” of corruption.
This was after Ruto claimed that graft cartels were funding opposition campaigns.
Furious opposition leaders, speaking separately, accused Ruto of hypocrisy and said he has no moral authority to lecture anyone about corruption.
“When they say some people are corrupt, why have they not taken action? That is hypocrisy of the highest order,” NASA presidential candidate Raila Odinga told a rally in Narok.
Raila’s adviser Salim Lone accused Ruto of diversionary tactics but thanked Jubilee leaders for placing the subject of corruption so forcefully on the national agenda.
Ruto had said opposition leaders had no moral authority to speak about corruption because they are literally owned by cartels.
“How will you fight corruption when the helicopters you and your secretariat use are paid for by corruption cartels?” he said in Kagio town.
There were reports that the businessman was bankrolling NASA’s presidential campaigns.
Wanjigi was reported to be pulling the strings in the upper echelons of NASA, where it is said he is mobilising funds for logistics.
Ruto has been battling corruption claims since 2011 when he was Education Minister.
Although he has been cleared by courts in some cases and denied any links to corruption, the DP’s career has been plagued by the allegations.
Ruto’s name featured in reports of an attempts to grab Lang’ata Primary School playground land through ‘faceless’ individuals.
It was said the aim was to convert the playground into a parking lot for his Weston Hotel.
Source link-the-star.co.ke
Ruto in tight spot over Wanjigi-NASA connection, dismisses links
