A war of words has intensified between Opposition leader Raila Odinga and Deputy President (DP) William Ruto over the corruption situation in the country. The two leaders differed over the KSh 21 billion Arror and Kimwarer dams scandal with former prime minister tearing into the DP’s defence of the project that only KSh 7 billion had been utilised.
Speaking during the Pastoralists Leadership Summit in Garissa on Friday, March 1, Ruto accused the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leader of meddling in Jubilee affairs and harbouring an ill scheme to wreck the party. In an apparent reference to the African Union envoy, a visibly angry DP reiterated his position about the dams scandal and accused him of driving a false narrative aimed at criminalising government projects.
He blamed Raila for frustrating Jubilee party’s development agenda since he was a beneficiary of poverty. “Lords of poverty who have made gains from locking up people in poverty are propagating a false narrative that every government project laced with corruption deals. I want to let my friend who is behind exaggeration of figures we know his scheme,” said the DP. According to the second in command, the ODM leader was a chief propagandist hellbent on wrecking Jubilee.
The deputy president categorically said the Opposition’s leader scheme would not prevail because Jubilee had a shortage of fools. “He is a master of propaganda and that is known. He is the same person who told his friends that he opted to work with Jubilee as part of his scheme to dismantle this party. He should know we have a shortage of fools,” Ruto added.
He warned leaders against weaving them in their falsehoods concerning corruption and 2022 succession politics. In a thin veiled reference the ODM leader had labelled the DP as a bold and contemptuous corrupt leader, saying KSh 7 billion was not pocket change to buy mandazis. “Those people who said they would go to cook and sell mandazis if they lose elections should have left the political scene. We don’t need mandazi business in serious government business,” Ruto stated.