•Junet cites cases of governors Okoth Obado and Moses Lenolkulal
•Raila says war on graft is personal and everyone should carry their own cross
Image: FILE
Deputy President William Ruto's defence of county bosses implicated in questionable expenditure has again put him in trouble with Opposition leaders.
ODM chief Raila Odinga and National Assembly Minority Whip Junet Mohammed have hit at the DP for "always protecting governors linked to misappropriation of taxpayers’ money".
Ruto on Sunday publicly defended Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu over the bizarre county budget totaling Sh 2.1 billion.
Senate County Public Accounts and Investment Committee last week put the governor to task after it emerged that the county splurged millions for State House affairs, remunerations for retired presidents and South Sudan peace - all budgets not within devolved units’ mandates.
On Monday, the opposition leaders faulted Ruto for what they termed as "always available to defend graft suspects" despite incriminating evidence against them.
Speaking at Capitol Hill offices after a meeting with politicians and professionals from Garissa county, Raila said the war on corruption is not targeting individuals or communities hence no need for any leader to defend another.
He said everyone should be left to carry their own cross in the renewed war on graft.
“Corruption is a major enemy of the people; the war does not target any particular individual or community but is rather aimed at criminals who have been plundering the wealth of our country,” the AU special envoy said.
Junet was more blunt, questioning why Ruto is always the only high ranking leader coming to the defence of leaders implicated in graft.
He cited past cases claiming Ruto defended governors Okoth Obado (Migori) and Moses Lenolkulal (Samburu) when they were either arrested for or accused of corruption.
“It cannot be that only one person defends people who are accused of corruption,” Junet said.
The Garissa leaders at the meeting expressed support for the handshake between President Uhuru Kenyatta and Raila and vowed to support them in their bid to unite the country.
Raila reiterated the call for a referendum which he noted will alter the governance structure "to make it more responsive to the needs of our country".
(Edited by R Wamochie)