Is there a point in time that deputy President William Ruto will be free from scrutiny and criticism? I bet No. After being accused of plotting and masterminding an artificial maize shortage in the country, more details have emerged of how the DP has laid down plans that will make him the principal maize supplier in the country.
Scanty details have emerged with claims that William Ruto owns a 500,000 acre farm in the Republic of Congo. These claims were triggered by Ruto’s once close confidants in the form of Alfred Keter, Joshua Kutuny and Silas Tiren.
The three members of Parliament claim that Ruto has a well calculated plan that has even included discouraging people from the Rift Valley from engaging in Maize farming and instead adopt avocado and macadamia farming.
President Kenyatta recently signed a lucrative business deal with the Republic of China and with this, Kenya was guaranteed a Chinese market for it’s Avocado and Macadamia. Could this be the reason the deputy President has allegedly instructed farmers from Rift Valley to abandon maize farming and engage in farming the two?
According to Keter, Ruto cannot tell people to engage in Avocado and Macadamia farming without telling people what happened to the maize.
“You can’t be telling us to plant avocados, plant macadamia but you are not telling us what happened to maize…Now you have gone even to Congo. You are growing 500,000 acres of maize,” said Keter without producing any evidence.
Cherangany MP Joshua Kutuny on the other hand has asked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to come clean on the deals he claimed Ruto had signed with the Denis Nguesso government.
The DP travelled to Brazzaville in September this year with a large delegation and held talks with the country’s top leaders.
A statement posted on his official website said Ruto was in Congo Brazaville for an official visit and was received at the Maya International Airport by Prime Minister Clement Mouamba.
The tour, the statement said, was aimed at promoting cooperation between the two countries in various fields of interest.
According to Joshua Kutuny it was during this tour that Ruto sealed his maize deal.
“Part of his mission to Congo recently was to sign the deal to start maize farming there. He wants local farmers to do avocado to occasion a maize shortage in the country so that his maize from Brazzaville can gets its way to the local market,” he stated.
The legislators asked the Director of Public Prosecutions Noordin Haji to crack the whip on the country’s second in command and influential officers at Harambee House Annex.
“Farmers, you must know this: most of our problems involving maize and fertilizer have been brought about the Deputy President and his office. We want his office investigated,” Keter said.
The Deputy President on the other hand trough his Press Secretary Emmanuel Talam has challenged the lawmakers to produce evidence to back their claims.
“How do I comment on mere allegations that someone says another one stole? Let them give you the evidence then we can talk,” he said.
Last week, CS Kiunjuri said that 62 individuals who are suspected to have irregularly supplied maize to the NCPB and were paid millions of shillings, will be charged in court.
Do you think Ruto should be subjected to investigations over the Maize Scandal?