President Uhuru Kenyatta responds to DP Ruto and his allies, defends DCI Kinoti and DPP Haji over corruption fight

President Uhuru Kenyatta has given a terse response to a section of Jubilee party leadership led by Deputy President William Ruto, slaming them for politicising the fight against graft and the handshake deal.

The President asserted that the purge against graft is not politically motivated, contrary to claims made by his deputy that the whole exercise is politically motivated with political outcomes in mind.

“Why do we need to politicise this matter, why can’t we fix it one way or another? Let us find that formula and stop it so that we protect our resources to be able to go into areas it’s supposed to go into.” Asserted President Kenyatta.

The head of State also defended his handshake deal with former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, confirming that no amount of pressure or intimidation would make him change his mind.

“Where are they going? They are going nowhere... I cannot ignore such a huge chunk of people who did not vote for me. I got to work with them,” he said.

President Uhuru Kenyatta with DP William Ruto Pulse Live Kenya

The deal has come under heavy criticism from a section of Jubilee party leadership led by the DP who have accused Odinga of using the deal to scuttle Jubilee.

The critics have linked Odinga to almost all troubles and tensions that have been witnessed in Jubilee amidst reports of a rallout over the fight against corruption and lifestyle audit.

In his address to delegates at State House during the launch of the second review of the county governments of Kenya and the Africa Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) report, the president acknowledged that corruption is “a stumbling block and our brothers and sisters in the continent have recognised that to be a problem".

President responds to calls by Murkomen to sack DCI Kinoti

The head of state also faulted a section of DP Ruto’s allies led by Kipchumba Murkomen who are on record calling for the immediate sacking of Director of Criminal Investigations (DCI) George Kinoti and Director Public Prosecutions (DPP) Noordin Haji amidst claims of bias in the fight against corruption.

File image of Kipchumba Murkomen. He has responded to David Murathe's remarks in which the latter threatened to go to the Supreme court to bar DP Ruto from contesting in 2022 Pulse Live Kenya

“If somebody feels this action was not good, put it on the table and say why. We don’t want corruption to be used to victimise people. We want corruption fight to resolve issues and benefit 50 million Kenyans,” The president stated.

In what was taken to be a reference to a salvo fired in Namibia when the President warned that not even his closest political allies and family would be spared in the war against corruption, the president confirmed that “And to those who come against us in this matter...I don’t want to say what I have said before because it could be the only story.”