Deputy President (DP) William Ruto's name has once again featured in a scandal that could dent his public image ahead of the coming elections.
A letter by the immediate former Mumias Sugar Company Chief Executive Officer Errol Johnston singled out the DP and other senior government officials of frustrating efforts to revive the company and interfering in its operations.
Confronted with the contents of the letter, Ruto's spokesman David Mugonyi declined to respond, terming it "a NASA-sponsored story".
In his letter, Johnston alleges that the DP and other politicians attempted to extort Sh10 Million from him as "facilitation fee" before the company could access part of the Sh3 Billion bailout given by the government.
This was allegedly done through the chairman to the board, Kennedy Mulwa.
Treasury PS Kamau Thugge was singled out for blocking banks from negotiating with the troubled sugar miller.
The former CEO, who was hired in August 2015, claimed that the government strangled the company to its death by withholding funds.
Johnston revealed that Ruto started the storm at a public rally in Mumias on May 6, when he "gave the chairman two weeks to remove the so-called corrupt manager from MSC” .
What would follow was a series of witch hunting and frustration targeting the company's senior management who Johnston believes would oppose corrupt dealings.
Johnston fled to Australia and shortly afterwards, the company's legal affairs manager Ronald Lubya was murdered.
Opposition leaders allege that his murder was after he refused to collaborate with sugar industry cartels in importing sugar illegally.
Police are yet to conclude investigations into the murder.
