Ruto Came to Hide in My House- Wanjigi's Untold Ties to DP

Deputy President William Ruto (left) shakes hands with Safina Presidential aspirant Jimi Wanjigi on Tuesday, March 15 at Kasarani grounds.
Deputy President William Ruto (left) shakes hands with Safina Presidential aspirant Jimi Wanjigi on Tuesday, March 15 at Kasarani grounds.
UDA

Safina Presidential aspirant and business magnate Jimi Wanjigi has revealed the close ties they share with Deputy President William Ruto dating back 16 years ago. 

Speaking during the United Democratic Alliance National Delegates Convention (NDC) on Tuesday, March 15, Wanjigi alleged that in 2007, the outlawed group known as Mungiki was after Ruto. 

According to the business mogul, the DP sought refuge at his house as he was fearing for his life owing to the heightened political temperature then, following the contested presidential results.

UDA National Delegates Convention at Kasarani on Tuesday, March 15, 2022.
UDA National Delegates Convention at Kasarani on Tuesday, March 15, 2022.
Courtesy

"In 2006, the Deputy President and I met and were introduced by former Devolution Cabinet Secretary Charles Keter. In 2007, there were some fellows looking for my friend DP Ruto but he came to hide in my house," he stated much to the delight of the crowd. 

"To be frank, there was an organisation, here in Nairobi called Mungiki and he came to hide in my house and seek shelter," Wanjigi stated.

The politician added that he instructed the DP to support the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party leader Raila Odinga in the 2007 General Election but entailed how the relationship between the two deteriorated.

"I'm the one who instructed Ruto to help Raila in 2007 as he had been left out of the 2002 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). In 2010, he came to inform me that the same person whom he supported (Raila) was taking him to the Hague. He alongside Isaac Ruto urged me to help them get out of the situation," he added.

Wanjigi also detailed the crucial role that he played in the agreement between Uhuru and Ruto in the 2013 General Election. 

"It is Ruto who brought Uhuru to me and I told him, I only knew this guy from my childhood because we went to the same primary and secondary school," Wanjigi shared adding he and the DP had agreed to covertly work together over the past 9 years.

"By the end of 2014, the friend whom he had brought to me, began christening me with names such as cartel. I asked Ruto and he told me that he followed instructions from the President, advising me to stay alert and take caution," he stated. 

Alluding to the fallout between him and Raila, that saw the billionaire businessman chased out of ODM, he noted that the 2018 handshake came in the way of their political relationship. 

"In 2017 I stood with Raila. However, post handshake era, the former Premier also began alienating himself from me," Wanjigi stated.

DP Ruto echoed Wanjigi's statements- noting that the Safina Presidential aspirant was instrumental in the UhuRuto merger. 

"This man Jimi, I've told Kenyans of the merger between Uhuru and I in order to work together. At the time, there were only three people in that meeting; Uhuru, Ruto and Jimi wanjigi. One more thing, Wanjigi is in possession of the original written agreement between Uhuru and I," the DP noted.

During the UDA NDC, which was also attended by other Kenya Kwanza principals - ANC's Musalia Mudavadi and Ford Kenya's Moses Wetang'ula, the DP was declared the party's Presidential candidate. 

Aspirants at the Hustler Center, the UDA headquarters on Wednesday, March 09.
Aspirants at the Hustler Center, the UDA headquarters on Wednesday, March 09.
File