Tuju claims Ruto was paid to back Uhuru’s State House bid
Former Jubilee party secretary general Raphael Tuju now claims Deputy President William Ruto was paid to support President Uhuru Kenyatta's 2013 State House bid.
Speaking to a local radio station on Wednesday, the Executive Director of the Azimio Secretariat said the DP listed several demands including money and cabinet slots before accepting to endorse Uhuru for the presidency.
“Let the people of Mount Kenya not think that Ruto supported Uhuru willingly in the first place, this is a person of blackmail. He was paid. I can confirm before a court of law how it went,” Tuju said in an interview with Inooro FM.
“He came with conditions that had to be met in order for him to back Uhuru. To him, politics is a business. That is why when he was making appointments in the cabinets and parastatals, he had to be given a 50 per cent share which he then gave to his people and his friends.”
Tuju was reacting to Ruto's claims that Uhuru betrayed him by endorsing Azimio One Kenya coalition presidential candidate Raila for the presidency in the forthcoming August 9 polls.
The Kenya Kwanza presidential flag bearer is riding on his 2013 support for Uhuru, who hails from the Kikuyu community, to get a majority vote from the Mount Kenya region.
However, Tuju insists that Ruto is blackmailing the region.
“Trying to blackmail Kikuyus that he supported them is false. He was paid and this is someone you cannot trust with the Treasury and the Central Bank,” he said.
While questioning Ruto's character, Tuju maintained that the Raila-Martha Karua ticket is best suited to lead the country to economic progress.
“What’s important in this election is the issue of character, what kind of person is William Ruto and his running mate Gachagua? Or Raila Odinga and Martha Karua?” Tuju posed.
Tuju defends Raila for skipping debate
He defended Raila for skipping the Tuesday presidential debate, where Ruto debated alone.
“Sitting with Ruto on the same stage, when we are very aware of his character, is looking for trouble. You will only emerge dirty,” he added.
Raila had earlier indicated that he had no intention of sharing a podium with 'a person who lacks decency'.
Azimio had insisted on having a debate around corruption, integrity, ethics, and governance, pillars the coalition said Ruto is not keen on.
"It would be a colossal mistake to reward such a person with a national debate. We will not help his failing campaign," Raila's statement read in parts.
Raila's team plans to hold a town hall meeting with 'ordinary' Kenyans in Nairobi's Eastlands area to sell their agenda to the people.
