Ruto appears before KACC

By Standard Team

Agriculture Minister William Ruto appeared before the Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission (KACC) detectives for interrogation regarding letters to the National Cereals and Produce Board.

After two hours, Ruto told journalists: “I came to confirm I am the one who asked my PS to instruct KACC to investigate the letters and that the Strategic Food Reserve is managed by trustees.”

He denied writing to NCPB to ask for maize for his friends. At least 15 MPs have since been summoned to the commission for writing to NCPB requesting for maize.

Fear of competition

About the Wednesday censure Motion against him, Ruto said: “The people behind this Motion are politicians using public offices because of fear of competition. I am happy the MPs saw the scheme and rejected it.”

Meanwhile, Ikolomani MP Bonny Khalwale has termed the defeat of his Motion as a blow to the fight against corruption.

He said the outcome of the censure Motion against Ruto was an indication that Parliament was not up to task to fight graft.

“I salute the gallant 22 MPs who supported the Motion since they had the welfare of starving Kenyans at heart,” said Khalwale.

He warned that corruption networks were regrouping.

“We have recycled leaders from previous regimes who have perfected the art of corruption more adeptly than their political fathers,” said Khalwale.

Kimilili MP Eseli Simiyu said the Motion had proved that MPs were inclined to look at national issues through the narrow prism of party affiliations, Kibaki succession and tribalism.

“The vote ended up being a contest of narrow intrigues instead of one on the probity of the minister. It was a vote on party affiliations, vested interests and paybacks,” he said.

The MP lashed out at Deputy Speaker Farah Maalim of deliberately failing to protect Dr Khalwale from “frivolous points of order”, hence undermining the mover’s intent to convince the House.

He claimed some MPs were forced to abstain from voting amid fears of ethnic and party backlash.

But Budalangi MP Ababu Namwamba said the war on corruption could not be run on a rumour mill and lynch mob psychology.

Cheap politics

“The House asserted its authority that it cannot be used to settle cheap political scores,” he said

Former MP Paul Muite termed as a disgrace Parliament’s decision to shoot down the Motion. The International Commission of Jurists, Kenya Chapter Chairman Alfred Nderitu said MPs ignored facts that the maize shortage was a result of wanting leadership at the ministry level.

Muite said it was clear MPs had deliberately failed to read the mood of hungry Kenyans. He said Ruto was not being censured for stealing maize, but for failing to protect the country’s stocks from being plundered.

—Reports by Cyrus Ombati, Abiya Ochola, Isaac Ongiri, Anthony Gitonga, Stephen Makabila and Mutinda Mwanzia

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