Deputy President William Ruto has questioned why he was blocked from visiting Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni.
The DP told Inooro FM on Monday that there was no law requiring him to seek permission to visit with any leader, more so on private business.
Ruto maintained that his business in the neighbouring country is private and is not one that should not be dragged into the public discourse.
The DP said the Ugandan president is a friend of many leaders, further asking why it should be an issue when Museveni is warming up to him.
“Yoweri Museveni is a friend of Kenya’s president, He is my friend. I have even campaigned for him. All Nasa leaders have once campaigned for Museveni. How can it be okay when he is their friend, but there is a problem when he is a friend of the DP? Am I not entitled to friends,” he said.
He defended the presence of Turkish national Aydin saying the embassy has itself cleared the foreign national to be free to conduct his business.
“Sasa nitakuwa natangazia Kenya nzima nikienda kufanya biashara zangu binafsi? Huyo mfanyibiashara wa Uturuki, embassy ya Uturuki yenyewe imetoa taarifa kusema ni mfanyibiashara anayetambulika na ana work permit…Kuna wale wanataka kuharibu wakisema yeye ni terrorist,” he said.
DP Ruto said it was regrettable that the presence of investors could be politicized to a point of calling them terrorists.
“Those trying to claim that this person is a terrorist are destroying our country. How can you call a person who has invested in the country a terrorist?” he asked.
The DP said he has the freedom to move in East Africa, saying it defeats logic why he was being detained yet there are policies allowing free movement of people in the region.
“How is that we want to do the opposite by blocking people? Why should we have the free trade agreements in place?” he asked.
Ruto said he was not stupid to travel without clearance, adding he was surprised to be asked for documents he has never used before.
Ruto said he was invited to the launch of the Sh15 billion vaccine factory, having helped the investor to secure funds through Equity Bank.
“I helped him on one phone call. He said the benefits Ugandans will get is the same that Kenyans will get,” the DP said.
DP WITHOUT WILL
When questioned why he was complaining and yet he was in government, Ruto said when he was substantive deputy president, Kenya moved forward.
"Tulijenga reli, tukaunganisha stima. Na zote hizo nilichangia lakini 2017, niliambiwa nikae kando. People from the Opposition came and sabotaged everything that was happening," he said.
"As we speak right now, the Big Four Agenda is nowhere to be seen. The opposition came to talk about reggae, not big four."
Ruto said he has been a deputy and knows what works best for the country.
Edited by D Tarus
