Deputy President William Ruto’s political career is at risk as he now turns the main victim of the political blame game over the ongoing drought which has gone a notch higher .
This is after the Opposition National Super Alliance (NASA) hit out at Ruto over his remarks that no one had succumbed to hunger related causes.
DP Ruto came under a barrage of criticism from the party’s lawmakers, who claimed there is a deliberate attempt by the government to hide the truth from Kenyans on the full extent of the hunger situation.
Led by National Assembly Minority leader, John Mbadi (Suba South) the lawmakers also took issue with a decision to sack chiefs who raised the death alarm in their regions, arguing that the administrators ‘were only doing their work.
“We are particularly appalled by the recent denials and attempts by the deputy President to con lying to Kenyans that everything is fine and there is no cause for alarm. We are not buying this. By saying that news that people have died is ‘fake’ news, yet government officials on the ground are confirming the same as true is very careless, irresponsible and insensitive,” the MPs aid in a statement read by Junet Mohammed (Suna East).
“We have heard of junior government officials being punished for revealing the true situation on the ground. This is very unfortunate. We want to urge people to stop this intimidation and targeted harassment and focus on alleviating the suffering of the people in these regions,” the statement added.
Others at the press conference held at parliament buildings were Opiyo Wandayi (Ugunja), Lillian Gogo (Rangwe), Sam Atandi (Alego), Anthony Oluoch (Mathare), Shakeel Shabbir (Kisumu East), Chris Wamalwa (Kiminini), Dan Maanzo (Makueni) and Rashid Kassim (Wajir East).
Images of emaciated people who can barely stand have gone viral this week, with the media reporting that more than twenty people have succumbed to hunger related causes in several parts of the country.The deaths are said to have occurred in Baringo and Turkana counties.Other areas affected are Samburu, Marsabit, Garissa, Isiolo, Mandera, Wajir, Baringo, Kilifi, Tana River, West Pokot, Makueni, Kajiado and Kwale.