President William Ruto has maintained his stand on corrupt sugar cartels despite calls to withdraw his statement.
Speaking on Wednesday in Kakamega, the President said he will not back down from fighting sugar cartels.
Ruto asked all the sugar cartels to either depart Kenya, go to jail or go to heaven.
"Wacha nirudie ndio wasikie vizuri, nimesema wafisadi, wakora, wezi, wale wanaiba pesa ya Wakenya wameangusha kampuni ya Mumias na wakaenda wakaangusha Kampuni ya Nzoia alafu wanakuja hapa wanajifanya, nimesema waafisadi wote, wakora na wezi wote wahame Kenya. Wahame ama wasihame? Na wasipohama tunawafunga jela. Na wakiendelea wapange mipango waende mbinguni," he said.
This loosely translates to : "Let me repeat so that they hear well, I have said corrupt cartels who are stealing from Kenyans, who brought Mumias and Nzoia Sugar companies down, and are now behaving bullish must vacate Kenya. If not, they will go to jail or heaven".
The remarks come after the Azimio La Umja coalition, the Law Society of Kenya and Civil Society turned the heat on the president terming his remarks as "unfortunate".
But Ruto in a rejoinder told off critics saying the Sugar cartels do not deserve to be addressed politely
He said he will not be cowed by media reports castigating his utterances adding that he will do all within his means to rid the country of corruption.
Azimio lawmakers on Tuesday described President Ruto's remarks as a " threat to investors".
Senate majority leader Stewart Madzayo said the remarks by the President amount to a direct threat to life, something he termed unconstitutional.
"It is quite disturbing to hear a whole President threatening investors in Kenya by claiming that they are arrested, deported or taken to heaven," Madzayo said.
"We as Azimio, condemn such utterances made by the President since this a Democratic Country governed by the Rule of Law and the ripple effects of such sentiments cannot be overstated."
LSK, Amnesty International Kenya, Kenya Human Rights Commission and Haki Africa questioned the government's commitment to upholding the right to life and protection of persons against cruel and inhumane treatment.
