The Deputy President has been more than once linked to most land scandals but without any justifiable reason. Ruto is believed to own large tracks of land throughout the nation.
The maize scandal has also had his name mentioned. Most people have had speculations that DP Ruto has a hand in the capsizing of the NCPB board and the problems facing the farmers.
Three Rift Valley MPs have triggered a political storm after publicly claiming Deputy President William Ruto has a 500,000-acre farm in the Republic of Congo.
MPs Joshua Kutuny (Cherangany), Alfred Keter (Nandi Hill) and Silas Tiren (Moiben) claimed Ruto has been encouraging farmers to substitute maize farming with avocado and macadamia.
“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 to back his claims.
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 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. The two countries agreed to cooperate in political consultations, economics, trade and investment, agriculture, science and technology, culture and arts.
Kutuny said 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 Kenyan law does not insulate the Deputy President from any criminal or civil prosecution while still in office as it does for a sitting President.