Deputy President William Ruto on Sunday, March 8, vowed to expose government officials whom he accused of threatening and blackmailing leaders over their political affiliation.
Speaking at the Catholic Church of Uganda Martyrs Kibirichia Parish in Buuri Constituency, Meru County, the DP accused unnamed officials of seeking to use the criminal justice system to intimidate leaders.
He claimed that Governors, Members of Parliament, Senators and Members of the County Assembly had been receiving threatening phone calls.
"We live in a democratic nation as Kenya and citizens, leaders, public officers should have the opportunity to make choices that they have decided on their own.
"To try and use the criminal justice system to perpetuate a certain political agenda or narrative is in itself criminal.
"I want to say for the avoidance of doubt, leaders in Kenya today, MPs and MCAs are being treated to intimidation, blackmail, threats that they will be taken to this court or that court because of their political affiliation. When did Kenya sink that low?" Ruto asserted.
A tough-talking Ruto warned the officials that they would soon be exposed.
"These public servants in our offices should work in accordance with what their job description is. They should not be using the criminal justice system to try and achieve political ends to intimidate, blackmail and intimidate people that this will happen and that will happen.
"I am the Deputy President of the Republic of Kenya, elected by the people of Kenya. And I have no apologies to make to anybody.
"I want to tell those public officers using those offices that soon, very soon, we will call them out. They must stop the nonsense they are engaged in of making telephone calls to leaders, blackmailing people left, right and centre," the Deputy President thundered.
Speaking at the same event, Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria, a staunch Ruto ally, admitted to being threatened over his support for the Deputy President.
"God will stand with you. Some of us are being threatened and intimidated but it is not our fault that the people chose to follow someone who used to sell chicken, whose father came from a humble background.
"I want to tell you, as God is my witness, if it was not for William Samoei Ruto, Uhuru Kenyatta would not be President today. That I can say without fear of contradiction," Kuria stated.
Ruto's address came barely a day after he accused the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) of orchestrating a smear campaign against him as investigations continue into the death of Sergeant John Kipyegon Kenei who was attached to his Harambee House Annex office.
"The DCI has been mobilised, for political reasons, to discredit and destroy my office with all manner NONSENSE and to bring me down. Those in this scheme are boasting that I will not be there soon. Since the system cannot elect anybody, they can only kill. But there is GOD in heaven," he had tweeted on Saturday, March 7.
DCI chief George Kinoti had shared with reporters CCTV footage that put Ruto's office at the centre of Kenei's murder and the alleged Ksh39 billion fraudulent arms scandal that saw former Sports Cabinet Secretary Rashid Echesa arrested on Thursday, February 13.
Watch a video of Ruto's speech below:
