ANC leader Musalia Mudavadi yesterday told off Deputy President William Ruto over government arrests of top officials in the war on graft. “President Uhuru Kenyatta is not fighting government officials, he is not targeting tribes. He is after the corrupt officials, not individuals,” he said, adding Kenyans should encourage and support him. On Friday, Ruto, while speaking in Keiyo South in Uasin Gishu county, protested the arrests of senior parastatal chiefs including Joe Sang of Kenya Pipeline Company claiming the anti-corruption crusade has been politicised to settle political scores.
But Mudavadi, without mentioning Ruto’s name, urged elected leaders to support the President’s approach and urged politicians to keep politics out of crime. He dismissed as mischievous claims by some Rift Valley politicians who warned that the Kalenjin managers in government jobs were being targeted and branded corrupt. Mudavadi told clerics and worshippers to pray for the government, saying it was facing a lot of challenges while fighting graft which has derailed the development agenda.
He was speaking at PCEA church’s 120 years anniversary celebration’s at PCEA Thogoto Teachers College grounds in Kikuyu constituency. He was accompanied by political analyst Barack Muluka. Kikuyu MP Kimani Ichung’wa urged anti-corruption agencies to not only arrest suspects, but to also recover stolen monies. Ichung’wa said Kikuyu community suffered a stigma when they were labelled “thieves” saying people should not see as if a community is being targeted. “The war on corruption is still on and we will support it. We don’t see it as tribal. What we are calling for is the recovery of stolen public funds,” he said.
Other church leaders present were PCEA Moderator Julius Mwamba, Secretary General David Kania among others. However, Mudavadi who praised the church for participating in the fight against corruption, revealed that he was looking for support in the race for presidency countrywide. He remembered the role played by the church’s Rev Timothy Njoya who was beaten in Nairobi during the struggle for democracy, saying his role was recognised and will live to be known.
“Musalia Mudavadi drinks alcohol until 5Am and then stands on a podium asking me where I got the money I donate to churches"~DP William Ruto#Hustle#WSR pic.twitter.com/0rGoG7QbAr
— Murithi Ramires (@murithi_ramires) December 2, 2018
He caused laughtear when he said people in Central Kenya call him “Macharia” or “Mukiri”. “Macharia in Kikuyu means searching, and am searching. Others say that am Mukiri, meaning, polite. They say I seem to be trusted by Kenyans to protect the constitution,” Mudavadi added.