Kenya: We Paid Ruto in Billions to Support President Kenyatta, Tuju Reveals

Nairobi — The notion that Deputy President William Ruto unconditionally supported President Uhuru Kenyatta in the 2013 and 2017 general election, has now been put to question.

This is after Executive Director of the Azimio presidential secretariat, Raphael Tuju came up with a damning revelation that DP Ruto was paid billions to team up with President Kenyatta in the 2013 polls.

"Well a lot of people who supported President Uhuru went out of their way to collect this money and make Ruto come on board... .Well for a man who says Sh7 Billion only, your guess is as good as mine but it was in billions," Tuju said in an exclusive interview with Citizen TV.

Tuju revealed that the colossal amount money was paid as an upfront payment before the election with the rest of the payment channeled through control of key ministry dockets within the Jubilee administration.

The Former Jubilee Party Secretary General alleged that when Ruto got hold the docket he quickly engaged in a looting spree.

"Its 12 days to an election and Kenyans need to know the truth. I don't know why people from central think they owe him anything yet he was paid and it was conditional on him receiving this money in advance," he said.

Tuju absolved President Kenyatta on any wrong act when it comes to joining hands with DP Ruto saying it was a between a rock and a hard place and he had no option.

"President Uhuru Kenyatta was between a shark and a crocodile. One side was Raila the other was Ruto who were going to eat him up. So, he had to choose whose bite was not so bad,"Tuju revealed.

"Yes, if it's necessary for me to repeat this in a court of law, then I will because I know I have the evidence and it's not only me who has the evidence," he added.

Tuju painted DP Ruto as a man unfit to hold the top most seat in government saying his reputation and conduct within the Jubilee administration portrayed a corrupt leader.

He noted that the accusation of land grabbing and corruption facing the Deputy President was not just mere propaganda.

"Given the blackmail he was taking us through and the issue of Arror and Kimwarer where the price was multiplied ten times a point reaches where you cannot take it anymore. Everybody wonders what happened so that Uhuru could reach out to Odinga," he stated.

This coming amidst political sentiments by DP Ruto that he supported his boss unconditionally and his move to back Raila Odinga as his preferred successor is not an act of betrayal.

"I want to say for avoidance of doubt that I supported my friend not because of his community not because of the language he speaks. Uhuru owes me nothing and owes no community nothing," Ruto stated in January,2021.

President Kenyatta and his deputy have now turned foes by throwing insults at each other in recent weeks as 2022 general politics hots up, with Kenyatta declaring publicly that he won't allow Ruto to succeed him.

Kenyatta is openly campaigning for Opposition leader Raila Odinga who is he Azimio La Umoja One Kenya presidential candidate.

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