Raila: Ruto, Mudavadi and Wetang’ula can’t be trusted
Orange party leader Raila Odinga yesterday described the reunion of the Kenya Kwanza Alliance as a coalition of the corrupt.
Raila said Deputy President William Ruto, Musalia Mudavadi and Ford Kenya boss Moses Wetang’ula cannot be trusted with the running of the country based on their records.
He cited instances of alleged corruption in their previous dockets when they served as Cabinet ministers. Raila revisited the 280 million Mavoko cemetery scam, Sh4 billion Ango-Leasing, Goldenberg, Tokyo Embassy scam and maize scandal that he linked to the three.
“Kenya Kwanza Alliance is a reunion of thieves who cannot be trusted with running affairs of the country. I have worked with all of them. I know them. One was my deputy as the Prime Minister and all he did was to steal cemetery land and his accomplice is still in jail,” claimed Raila.
He added: “The other one was Agriculture minister and was involved in the importation of maize and fertiliser.”
Although Raila made the claims, Mudavadi was cleared of the allegations. Wetang’ula was also cleared despite being forced to resign as Foreign Affairs minister in the wake of the scandal during the Grand Coalition Government.
Raila, then Prime Minister, ‘sacked’ Ruto over the maize scandal but was quickly reinstated by retired President Mwai Kibaki.
People Daily has established that despite the allegation, there was, however, no evidence directly linking Ruto to the maize scam.
But Raila, while speaking during a series of rallies in Nairobi in Kawangware yesterday, said the trio cannot be trusted to fight graft as they are tainted.
Free education
The former premier said should he be elected, his administration will send the corrupt to jail.
Raila maintained that his Azimio administration would offer free education from nursery to university and universal healthcare under the Baba Care programme.
Raila also told off his critics, who have labelled his Sh6,000 social welfare protection as a ‘populist promise for political expediency’, saying it would be implemented if he becomes president.
His ambitious pledge would cost taxpayers at least Sh137 billion, as it would be channelled to two million of the poorest households across the country. Raila was accompanied by Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya, Siaya Senator James Orengo, MPs Timothy Wanyonyi (Westlands), Babu Owino (Embakasi East) and George Aladwa (Makadara). Also present was ODM Secretary-General and Nairobi Senate aspirant Edwin Sifuna, former Dagoretti South MP Dennis Waweru and former Nairobi Speaker Beatrice Elachi. Raila for the second time endorsed Wanyonyi as the party’s preferred candidate for the Nairobi governor’s seat.
As he introduced the leaders, who had accompanied him, he referred to Wanyonyi as the next governor amid a thunderous response from the charged crowd.
In his address, the Westlands MP rallied residents to back Raila’s presidential bid, saying the ODM leader is ripe to steer the country in the right direction.
