Deputy President William Ruto allies have asked President Uhuru Kenyatta to stop intimidating his deputy.
The leaders, who spoke during Nominated Senator Victor Prengei’s burial at Marioshoni Grounds in Nakuru County on Saturday, criticised last week’s withdrawal of General Service Unit officers from Dr Ruto’s security and their subsequent replacement Administration Police officers.
They said that it was necessary to enhance the security of the top leadership in the country as the 2022 election period nears. They accused the government of going against the law which stipulates that the President and his deputy’s security detail should comprise GSU officers.
Dr Ruto said he was not ready to dwell on the politics that played out in the withdrawal of the GSU officers from his Karen and Sugoi homes.
“I am too busy assembling a bottom-up economy plan and strategising on how to improve the country’s economy, I will not be available to discuss politics of security and power sharing” the DP said.
He said the country’s development had been slowed since the March 2018 Handshake between President Uhuru Kenyatta and ODM leader Raila Odinga. Dr Ruto said a lot of resources had been spent on the BBI process.
“Confusion reigns in Jubilee because of threats, intimidation, insults and harassment, and that situation is not favourable for young politicians but we shall overcome,” Dr Ruto said.
Several leaders linked the withdrawal of the DP’s security to the flop of the Building Bridges Initiative case at the Court of Appeal.
Senators Susan Kihika (Nakuru), Ledama Ole Kina (Narok), Millicent Omanga (Nominated), Samson Cherargei (Nandi), John Kinyua (Laikipia), Anwar Oletiptip (Lamu), Phillip Mpiayei (Kajiado) and Kipchumba Murkomen (Elgeyo Marakwet) asked President Kenyatta to stop intimidating his deputy.
“We want to know what exactly the DP did to President Kenyatta to warrant the kind of treatment,” said Senator Murkomen.
“For the last four years, people have been arrested, intimidated and harassed because of supporting the DP. His Sugoi home was raided and we have never received an investigation report on the incident. He (Dr Ruto) was locked out of the Mombasa Statehouse for a reason we do not know. If he stole anything we want to pay it back,” he added.
He said that Senator Prengei stood firm and refused to be part of those who signed for his removal as Leader of Majority at the Senate.
“This gentleman was offered Sh2 million, he refused, he was offered upto Sh5 million but still he stood his ground,” Senator Murkomen said of Mr Prengei.
Senator Kihika and Bahati MP Kimani Ngunjiri said they would demand that Cotu Secretary-General Francis Atwoli and a section of top leadership in the security sector record a statement after they made utterances stating that DP Ruto would not be in the ballot in 2022.
“They have been issuing threats and we want to ask the Director of Criminal Investigations George Kinoti to investigate them,” Senator Kihika said.
She said that there was need for the police to investigate Mr Atwoli, Interior PS Karanja Kibicho and Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i. Other leaders asked the Jubilee Party to nominate a member of the Ogiek community to replace Senator Prengei.
The burial was also attended by MPs Kimani Kuria (Molo) Hillary Koskei (Kipkelion West), Oscar Sudi (Kapseret) Ndindi Nyoro (Kiharu), Beatrice Kones (Bomet East) Rigathi Gachagua, (Mathira) Gideon Keter (Nominated), Joseph Tanui (Kuresoi) Martha Wangare (Gilgil) Charity Kathambi (Njoro) Kimani Ngunjiri (Bahati) and Johana Ngeno (Emurua Dikir).
Mr Nyoro asked President Kenyatta to respect the office of the deputy president.
Senator Prengei’s widow, Catherine Chepng’etich, described her husband as a gentle and caring man saying it was unfortunate that he was being buried on their son’s birthday.
“Day by day, I think of you. How can all this be true? I can’t believe you’re really gone; I still can’t accept it, Just the thought of you makes me cry,
Senator Prengei who died in a road accident on August 16. He was born on January 10, 1984 in Mariashoni Location, Molo, Nakuru County.
He attended Mariashoni Primary School and Moi Amalo Secondary School.
He graduated with a Bachelors’ Degree in Economics from Maseno University in 2008, CPA KASNEB in 2015 and a Master of Business Management in Strategic Management from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agricultural Technology (Jkuat) in 2017.
In 2014, he joined the Nakuru County Land Management Board as the chairperson where he served for one year. He later joined Betting Control and Licensing Board, as a member, a position he held up until he was nominated to the Senate in 2017 to represent the youth and special groups.
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