Deputy President William Ruto’s allies have lamented what they termed frustrations of the DP by state machinery following the arrest of his ally, Turkish investor Harun Aydin.
Aydin, who was part of the team in the DP’s failed trip to Uganda last Monday, was arrested on Saturday by officers from the Anti-Terrorism Police Unit and detained for questioning.
Speaking at a church service in Karagita Naivasha, legislators allied to UDA accused ‘a strong cartel’ working in the office of the President for the latest woes bedevilling the DP.
However, the DP gave the debate a wide berth and instead accused some people in the government of using the criminal justice system to arrest and antagonise those close to him.
He said due to the wrangles, the government had lost its focus, with the Big Four agenda collapsing at the expense of politics.
“We promised Kenyans jobs, universal healthcare and houses but all this has been forgotten as we continue to fight MPs, investors and those perceived to be anti-governmental,” he said.
The DP said due to the wrangles, the mwananchi has been forgotten and more Kenyans continue to lose jobs.
“It has now become the norm to arrest some MPs and other investors, and we should not allow petty wrangles to divide Kenyans based on political differences,” he said.
During the church service, Ruto defended the first five years he was in office, saying they had made Naivasha an industrial town.
“Our plans to make Naivasha an industrial city are now bearing fruit, with SGR ferrying goods to the dry port. Cheap geothermal power will come in handy for investors,” he said.
Kikuyu MP Kimani Ichung'wa revisited the arrest of the Turkish investor on allegations of terrorism, saying it is a move to criminalise enterprises.
He said there was a criminal cartel that was working to antagonise those close to the DP.
“We fear that this cartel is trying to use the terror charges to eliminate the DP, but we have to tell them the truth that this government has failed,” he said.
Reports have linked Aydin to terrorism activities, but the DP defended him as a polished investor whom he helped secure Sh15 billion from Equity Bank to set up a business in Uganda.
Mathira MP Rigathi Gachagua blamed the current crisis in the country on security bosses.
They said the lot have instigated injustice on Kenyans – demolishing houses, destroying businesses and arresting those opposed to their ideologies.
“They are fully to blame for turning this country into a dictatorial state, but they should read history and know that one day they will be ordinary Kenyans,” he said.
Kandara MP Alice Wahome warned that the country risks sliding back into the dark days if the current political persecution and selective war on graft do not stop.
Others who spoke were MPs Jane Kihara, Benjamin Washiali, Faith Gitau, Kimani Ngunjiri and Purity Ngirici.
Meanwhile, the DP on Sunday met leaders from Nyanza to discuss the bottom-up economic model, which he believes will turn around the country’s economy.
The two-day meeting is being held at a Naivasha hotel.
The meeting comes three months after tens of leaders from Nyanza met with Ruto's team to craft an economic blueprint for the region that would form part of his manifesto.
Nyanza, Raila’s backyard, has proved to be a hard nut to crack for the DP, who has set his eyes on the presidency in the 2022 General Election.
The ODM leader, seen as Ruto's main challenger in the race, is the region’s political kingpin, and has maintained a firm grip and enjoyed near-fanatical support for decades.
Edited by A.N
