A top ODM official has asked Deputy President William Ruto to resign over the Weston Hotel land ownership saga. ODM treasurer Timothy Bosire said the DP should quit and be investigated thoroughly for prosecution over the ‘illegal’ acquisition of the prime parcel of land on which stands the five-star hotel. Kitutu Masaba MP said Ruto should eat the humble pie and just quit. He lacks the moral authority to continue being deputy president after admitting that he illegally acquired the Weston Hotel land.
Bosire, Ruto’s fierce critic, tore into the DP’s character saying he was unfit to continue performing the functions of the office of the Deputy President when he is “a known thief’. “What Ruto has confirmed is that he is a thief of public resources by admitting that the Weston Hotel was built on public land that was stolen,” said the politician. He said the ‘scandals’ that have hit Ruto in the recent past have lifted the lid on the true character of a man Kenyans elected as DP.
“In other democracies, Ruto would be in jail or at least be facing criminal prosecution,” added Bosire. Bosire’s push for Ruto’s resignation from the top job comes days after the DP, for the first time, publicly admitted that the hotel is built on an illegally acquired public land.
According to Ruto, the National Land Commission made a finding that Weston was an innocent purchaser for value from somebody who got it illegally, and preparations have been made constitutionally to restore that land to Kenya Civil Aviation Authority by demanding that those who sold the land to us must pay. Ruto’s own admission has sparked a storm with a section of his critics insisting that he should surrender the property sitting on a 0.7 acre to the State. “Ruto should stop feigning ignorance about the matter. Anybody acquiring property is required to carry out due diligence. His admission confirms the kind of person he is. He should surrender the property as a matter of principle,” said National Assembly Minority leader John Mbadi.
In January, NLC released its findings, confirming that the land belonged to the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority. In a surprise ruling, the land agency, however, said Ruto could keep the hotel but pay KCAA at market value to enable it to find an alternative land to build its headquarters.