Deputy President William Ruto was absent when President Uhuru Kenyatta convened the National Security Council at State House for a crisis meeting to address the Coronavirus (COVID-19) after the first case was confirmed in Kenya.
Those present at the meeting that took place on the morning of Friday, March 13, 2020, included Chief of Defence General Samson Mwathethe, NIS Director General Major General Philip Wachira Kameru, Inspector General Hillary Mutyambai and Interior CS Fred Matiangi and Head of Public Service Joseph Kinyua.
According to Article 240 of the Constitution, the DP is also a key member of the council but on this particular day, Ruto was in Uasin Gishu and Nandi counties on what he called a development tour.
Political commentator Professor Makau Mutua raised concern about the deputy president’s whereabouts while his peers were holed up at State House.
“DP William Ruto at a political rally in Nandi County denouncing his impeachment while Uhuru Kenyatta chaired the National Security Council at State House on COVID-19 with IG Hillary Mutyambai, Chief of Defence Forces General Samson Mwathethe, CS Fred Matiang'i, NIS DG Phillip Kameru and Head of Public Service Joseph Kinyua,” the law don wrote on Twitter.
His remarks irked Senate Majority Leader Kipchumba Murkomen who jumped to the defence of the DP, hinting that Ruto may not have been invited.
“It is the prerogative of the president to determine who he wants to invite to the security council meetings and I am sure he has not asked you to deliver an invitation letter to the DP. Let’s focus on dealing with COVID-19 and other development issues,” Murkomen responded to Prof Mutua.
However, lawyer Silas Chepkeres challenged the Elgeyo Marakwet senator's assertion.
"Attendance of the NSC meetings is not by 'invitation'. The membership is as per the Constitution of Kenya 2010, Article 240. If you wanted to conveniently twist this, you'd have said the DP was absent (with apologies) or something. Remember he said kuna upungufu ya wajinga (there's a shortage of fools in) Kenya," the advocate replied.
The recent developments have poked holes at the unity of the president will Ruto accusing Kenya’s top security organ of orchestrating his downfall.
Former Jubilee Vice Chair David Murathe has also expressed his reservations with the DP’s lack of faith in Kenya’s security organs.
“The DP sits in the National Security Committee and even chairs it when the President is not around. Has he raised these concerns with NSC?” he posed in an interview with Daily Nation.
In the NSC meeting, several resolutions were passed to help mitigate the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19).
One of the resolutions was that all non-essential travel outside the country was suspended until further notice for all state and public officers to destinations outside the country, whether on public or private business.
The committee directed that such engagements were to be left to ambassadors and high commissioners abroad who would represent the country in international engagements within their jurisdictions.
The statement further directed that all state and public officers in need of diplomatic representation at any such event should communicate in writing to Foreign Affairs CS Raychelle Omamo to facilitate appropriate coordination.
The council also resolved that additional medical personnel be recruited and retained on an emergency basic contract to support the precautionary management measures and enhance surveillance to check any possible spread of the coronavirus in the country.
It also directed that all national government administration officers in the country be tasked immediately to ensure that all the measures announced by the committee are put in place.
Some of these measures include continued public awareness on the role of hygiene in the prevention of the spread of coronavirus, and discouragement of mass gatherings and meetings and continued monitoring and surveillance.
The council further urged Kenyans to go about their daily activities as usual and to continue taking necessary precautions as advised by the Ministry of Health.
