The Executive Director of the Azimio Presidential Secretariat, Raphael Tuju, has claimed that President Uhuru Kenyatta was forced to part with a huge amount of money to get support from Deputy President William Ruto in 2013.
Speaking during an interview on Inooro FM, Tuju stated that DP Ruto issued demands that Uhuru had to meet prior before supporting him.
He also told Kenyans.co.ke that the deputy president had also presented similar demands to the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party but its leader, Raila Odinga, could not meet them.
"The DP before joining Uhuru had tried the same number on ODM. It's only that ODM could not raise the money. For him, everything is about money and that is why he is deluded that everyone can be bought with money," Tuju stated.
He maintained that the DP demanded to be given certain ministries if they won the election, adding that Ruto sees politics as a business contrary to the picture he paints in public.
“Let the people of Mount Kenya not think that Ruto supported Uhuru willingly in the first place, this is a person of blackmail. He was paid. I can confirm before a court of law how it went,” Tuju stated during the interview with Inooro FM.
“He came with conditions that had to be met in order for him to back Uhuru. To him, politics is a business. That is why when he was making appointments in the Cabinet and parastatals, he had to be given a 50% share which he then gave to his people and his friends.”
The Executive Director of the Azimio Presidential Secretariat claimed that the DP was looking out for his own interests and his assurances and guarantees to the Mt Kenya region would not be actualized.
“Trying to blackmail Mount Kenya people that he supported them is false. He was paid and this is someone you cannot trust with the Treasury and the Central Bank,” Tuju remarked.
“What’s important in this election is the issue of character, what kind of person is William Ruto and his running mate Rigathi Gachagua? Or Raila Odinga and Martha Karua?”
When asked why the Azimio Presidential flagbearer refused to attend the presidential debate on Tuesday night, Tuju defended Raila, stating that sharing a stage with Ruto was not a good look for him.
Tuju further claimed that Raila's attendance would not have been consequential in his quest for the presidency, arguing that the questions will be answered in the town hall meetings organised by Azimio.
We sought comments from DP Ruto's camp but the team did not respond by the time of going to press.
