The one misunderstanding that forced Uhuru to cancel PG meeting

mary kulundu

July 9, 2018 2:52 PM

DP Ruto clears the air

Deputy President William Ruto on Sunday revealed that a misunderstanding among Jubilee legislators was what led to the cancellation of the Parliamentary Group meeting.

Speaking during an interview on NTV, DP Ruto mentioned that lawmakers were not on the same page when it came to the housing fund, recently introduced by National Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich during the budget reading.

"I had a chat with the President. Our discussion was focused on how to create more buy-in, especially by the legislature. This is because the legislature was misunderstanding certain things.

"For example, in the housing fund, they were thinking it is an extra tax when it is actually a benefit," he said during the interview with news anchor Mark Masai.

According to DP Ruto, they saw it fit to have a discussion with lawmakers in the different parliamentary groups in a bid to explain what the housing fund was.

"The housing fund is money you pay so that you get a benefit and it is tax deductible. If you pay it, you can actually claim it in reverse from taxes. So initially, there was the proposal of the PG in order to explain it to the lawmakers.

"But we thought if we go through the route of a Parliamentary committee we will have the benefit of not just our members but also the opposition," he said.

Mr Ruto, however, dismissed the widespread reports that the meeting was cancelled because of alleged infighting within the Jubilee Party.

"It is not true that we cancelled the meeting because it is said there was going to be fireworks. These are imaginations," he stated.

DP Ruto’s explanation is contrary to what Jubilee Secretary General Raphael Tuju told the press concerning the PG meeting. According to Mr Tuju, the PG meeting itself was a fabrication of the media.

"I would like to assure members that there is nothing even remotely close to a crisis in the party to guarantee a PG. I am able to confirm that there will be no JPG meeting tomorrow and that any media reports to the contrary have no basis.

"What we are experiencing is a storm in a teacup. We are one party with one President and deputy but as usual, the media needs blood to sell.

"You people were used to fighting between Jubilee and Nasa and now that they are working together you need to get something, by all means, to report on,” he said during a press conference.

mary kulundu