• Ruto’s secretary of communication David Mugonyi has dismissed the tabled statement before the House committee.
• While appearing before the National Assembly Committee on Administration and National Security, the CS dismissed the rumours that Ruto’s security has been downgraded.
Image: EZEKIEL AMING'A
The Office of Deputy President William Ruto has denied owning some of the properties listed by Interior CS Fred Matiang’i on Wednesday.
It, however, did not state which of the listed properties do not belong to the DP.
While appearing before the National Assembly Committee on Administration and National Security, the CS dismissed allegations Ruto’s security has been downgraded.
The CS had said listed at least 10 properties, purportedly owned by the DP and said Ruto has been allocated a total of 257 police officers offering security on daily basis, some manning his properties and businesses.
The properties listed include Kitengela Gas - six officers, Weston Hotel -four officers and Murumbi Farm - six officers.
The CS also listed ADC Laikipia Mutara Ranch has six officers, Dolphine Hotel in Mombasa has six, Mata Farm has six and the DP's private residence in Elgon View Eldoret has four.
However, hours later, Ruto’s secretary of communication David Mugonyi dismissed the tabled report.
“To understand Matiangi’s’ recklessness, many properties allocated to Deputy President in his statement to Parliament are in fact not his,” Mugonyi said.
The CS said that Kitengela Gas has six officers, Weston Hotel has four officers while Murumbi Farm has six officers.
He added that Ruto had in 2018 expressed his willingness to undergo a lifestyle audit to ascertain his assets.
Mugonyi stated that the CS used the platform to propagate malicious falsehood and that he assaulted the dignity of the Parliament by publishing inaccurate data claiming to be owned by the DP.
Further, Ruto’s office has said that the CS was wrong to compare the office of the DP which was created following the promulgation of the 2010 Constitution with the security that was deployed to the previous holders of the same office under the old Constitution.
“Deputy President was not elected in August 2021. He has been serving since 2013. It is deceitful and fraudulent of Dr. Matiang’i to wake up today and suddenly realise that the DP’s residence is not a protected area and not entitled to GSU protection.”
He added that when Ruto assumed office in 2013, the National Security Council had already established a security model for the Presidency and the constitutional office.
“Any changes to the arrangement would have been discussed and formally approved at the appropriate level.”
Matiang'i told the Parliamentary Committee that Ruto is the most guarded holder of the office since independence.
Mugonyi has claimed that the CS has further exposed the DP’s security threats by singling some of his properties as well as casting adverse attention to the particulars of his security arrangements.
He added that there are instances where the DP’s security has been breached, which has caused anxiety, tension, and despondency among the locals.
The Administration Police Service officers took over guarding Ruto's residences following the withdrawal of the elite General Service Unit.
The GSU officers also left Ruto's rural home in Sugoi, Eldoret town, his residence at Elgon View, and his official Karen residence in Nairobi.
The office of the Police IG called the changeover normal, but Ruto's communication secretary David Mugonyi said the state was undermining the DP's safety and termed the changes 'diabolical'.
Appearing to be mocking the move, the DP met with his new security team at his Karen residence where they shared a cup of tea,
Ruto had also said that such changes should be executed carefully to tame possible divisions in the country’s security apparatus.