Why 'Covid-19 billionaires' were never arrested - DP Ruto

Deputy President William Ruto has claimed that the people who allegedly swindled the funds meant to help in the fight against Covid-19 were never arrested because they were friends with ‘people fighting corruption.

Speaking when he met ambassadors on Thursday, Ruto said being friends with such people made it hard for cases to move forward.

“The Covid billionaires escaped because they were friends of the people who said they wanted to fight corruption. If the fight against corruption was left to institutions, the Covid billionaires could be behind bars by now," he said.

Powerful political figures, including vocal Jubilee politicians, were among those who benefited from the Covid-19 cash.

Kemsa was also put in the spotlight after it emerged that officials dished out tenders to mysterious entities under the cover of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Ruto said the question of integrity is of high significance to the Kenya Kwanza coalition. 

“We must win the fight against corruption and it’s the only way to the future. I agree with president Uhuru Kenyatta yesterday that corruption can be a big impediment to development,” he said.

“We believe that the fight against corruption must be institutionalised and not personalised. It must be a fight against criminals from all shades, it must not be weaponised against your political opponent and the people you don’t like while protecting the corrupt who are our allies or friends or members of your family."

Ruto who was drumming support for Kenya Kwanza said if they are elected on August 9, they will ensure that such elements are removed.

“We are very clear in our minds that institutionalising the fight against corruption is revamping the capacities of criminal systems,” he said.

“We need a financial undefended Judiciary and that is why we will operationalise the judiciary fund that will give resources to the Judiciary to access software, hardware and human capital.”

The DP said currently there is a huge gap of judges and magistrates.

“The failure to fight corruption is when you undermine the criminal institutions by being a fight against your political competitors,” he said.