, NAIROBI, Kenya, June 24 – Cabinet Secretaries from Mt Kenya region are now accusing Deputy President William Ruto of maligning their reputation, by claiming that they have hatched a plot to eliminate him so as to ensure he does not succeed President Uhuru Kenyatta in 2022.
Trade CS Peter Peter Munya, who spoke on behalf of his colleagues when they were summoned to the DCI headquarters, said that such a claim equates them to criminals, and they now want him to substantiate his claims.
“I think it is irresponsible, unfair and is intended to portray us in a very bad light so that we look like criminals who meet to plot criminal activities against him and it is also intended to injure our reputations as law abiding citizens of this country,” he told journalists.
He said they will not be intimidated by the assassination claim to stop holding meetings on developing the region, instead saying, “we will continue meeting and even tomorrow we have a meeting at Lamada Hotel.”
According to Munya, they were summoned to the DCI Headquarters for questioning, after Ruto reportedly made a verbal complaint that there was a plan hatched by kill him, by a group of Cabinet Secretaries, Principal Secretaries and other government officials from Mt Kenya.
The alleged plot is said to have been hatched at Lamada Hotel.
While Munya admits that they have been meeting at the hotel, he denies claims that they have been discussing how to eliminate Ruto, allegations he termed as “very serious.”
“The officers have confirmed to us that the DP made a call and complained that some CSs and other senior government officials have been meeting at Lamada Hotel, and specifically on 14 May, to plan how to kill him,” he said, “These are indeed very serious allegations and that is why we want him to write a formal statement to enable us respond.”
Munya was at the DCI Headquarters with colleagues Sicily Kariuki (Health), Joe Mucheru (ICT) and other government officials summoned but none of them recorded a statement, insisting they can only do so once Ruto files a complaint.
“We have made it clear that at no time have we ever met anywhere to plan to kill the Deputy President of the Republic of Kenya or any other person for that matter,” Munya said, “but we want to also confirm that we had a meeting in Lamada and we will continue meeting, because there is freedom of association in this country.”
The three who turned up told detectives that it is difficult to respond to verbal allegations which are not formally filed by the complainant. All Cabinet Secretaries and Principal Secretaries from Mt Kenya region who attended a meeting at La Mada hotel in mid-May were summoned.
Director of Criminal Investigations George Kinoti did not comment on the matter that is being handled by a detective Munya identified as Michael Sang.
And by late Monday, Ruto had not commented on the matter, with his communications team saying “he will respond when it is appropriate.”
Sources confirmed that he had informed the president of the alleged plot, leading to the investigation launched by the DCI, but there was no formal communication from State House on the matter.
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