DP William Ruto seemingly wants the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to stay away from probing corruption cases and leave the same for the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC).
In a report by The Standard team, the DP, over the weekend, was adamant that the DCI, under the leadership of George Kinoti, does not have the mandate of investigating economic crimes-which is the work of the EACC.
“The fight against corruption must proceed on the basis of correct information and by competent institutions that have the constitutional mandate and institutional capacity so that we can have results,” stated Ruto on Sunday in Ainamoi constituency.
“We will refuse and reject any attempt by people to put together a political narrative using corruption and propaganda to drive a scheme to undermine Government programmes and projects, with the aim of destroying the Big Four agenda,” added Ruto.
Members of Ruto’s camp who accompanied him were quick to criticize the DCI by exhibiting a well-orchestrated onslaught.
Belgut MP Nelson Koech divulged, “The drafters of the Constitution were very clear in their mind when they dissociated DCI from EACC. Today we declare that we no longer have confidence in the office of the DCI. We want all economic matters to be taken over by EACC.”
“The constitutionally mandated body to fight corruption is EACC. The work of DCI is to investigate other crimes,” added Kericho Senator Aaron Cheruiyot.
Kipkelion West MP Hillary Koskei argued that the DCI lacked the professional capacity of fighting 'complex matters'.
Soon after, MPs from the various parties of Jubilee, ODM, ANC, and Wiper joined together in Limuru and defended the DCI.
Limiru MP Peter Mwathi stated, “The DCI is not going anywhere. If Murkomen wants the position he should first resign from his role as a senator but he should know that no one is replacing Kinoti.”
The MPs maintained that they would not allow the leadership of the country to be jeopardized because of the undesired actions of a few individuals.
Among those present were Mercy Gakuya (Kasarani), Peter Mwathi (Limuru), Maina Kamanda (Nominated), Wambugu Ngunjiri (Nyeri), Joshua Kutuny (Cherangany), Paul Koinange (Kiambaa) and Maoka Maore (Igembe North).
MPs from the opposition included Robert Mbui (Kathiani), Sam Atandi (Alego Usonga), Caleb Hamisi (Saboti), Godfrey Osotsi (Nominated) and Anthony Oluoch (Mathare).
MP Kamanda was categorical in accusing Ruto of using large sums of money to woo leaders from the Central region to support him ahead of the 2022 General Election. He observed that the actions of the DP were establishing some sense of rebellion against President Uhuru Kenyatta.
“If Ruto thinks that recruiting a few leaders from the central region will help him win votes in 2022, then he is wrong. The constituents are staunch supporters of the President. It is time he understood that central region vote is under the lock and key of Uhuru Kenyatta,” communicated Kamanda.
In his speech in Ainamoi, Ruto stated, “I have built friendship across the country and we are going to teach Raila a political lesson when the right time comes.”
In an interesting twist, the MPs also called for the removal of Kipchumba Murkomen as the majority leader of the Senate.
Mr Kutuny indicated, “Time has now come for us to do away with Murkomen and replace him with someone else. You cannot be the Jubilee-appointed Senate majority leader and keep hurling insults at the party leader who is President Uhuru Kenyatta,”
MP Oluoch consequently stated, “If it has come to a point where you cannot respect this Government then leave and go form your own party and start the journey for the 2022 General Election.”
At some other location within Nairobi, a group of ODM MPs informed that the DP should prepare for “drastic action” against him in relation to the graft accusations.
They went ahead to speak of plans of an impeachment motion against the DP in the National Assembly.
