What for many months has just been rumored as a cold war between CS Fred Matinag’i and Deputy President William Ruto Yesterday become an open fight. At least the nation knew that the two are antagonizing blocks.
The two have been engaged in serious fighting, which has been kept out of the public eye for months, and those aware of it yesterday told the Star that the battle is spiraling out of control.
According to multiple sources, the fights have involved multi-billion-shilling tenders being pushed by Ruto and his associates, which Matiang’i has refused to approve.
Matiang’i is known to be very close to President Uhuru Kenyatta and has his own presidential ambitions.
The latest incident occurred this week when the DP is reported to have asked the Interior CS to award a tender for the supply of police uniforms to other people, not just the National Youth Service.
Matiang’i stood his ground, insisting yesterday that all uniforms will be made by the NYS, as directed by President Kenyatta.
Without naming names, an angry Matiang’i told off a “politician” who wanted a share in the supply of the multi-million tender to supply fabric for the new blue police uniforms. He was speaking at the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development after a meeting with MPs and the boda boda task force.
“The Inspector General of Police, the PS and myself have been under pressure by some quarters, and all manner of thieves, that we should import police uniforms.
“Listen to me very carefully. We will not import police uniforms, go and write another 10 headlines. We will not import police uniforms from any country. We have to promote the local textile industry,” Matiang’i said.
The Standard yesterday reported that police have not been able to get their new uniforms because the fabric is unavailable.
But Matiang’i dismissed the claims, insisting that the government has already paid NYS Rivatex and companies in the Export Processing zones to make the uniforms.
“We will not import police uniforms. No amount of pressure, manipulation or anything will change that position. That style of life has come to an end in Kenya. It has come to an end and no one is going to live that way.
“Sasa wewe na wakora wako mahali mlikubaliana mtanunua uniform mtaenda muwaambie na muwaeleze kwamba hatutanunua uniform kutoka kwingine,” Matiang’i said. This loosely translates to “You and your crooks, wherever you agreed that you will import police uniforms, go back and tell them that we are not importing.”
Ruto and Matiang’i also clashed in February this year after over a multi-billion-shilling tender to supply arms.
The police department had floated a Sh3 billion restricted tender for the weapons. Inspector General of Police Joseph Boinett then drafted a letter recommending that a tender be awarded to a company in Eastern Europe.
“When the CS saw it, he refused to sign and instead asked the IG to provided minutes from the National Security Advisory Council and the National Security Council supporting the recommendation.
“The DP then asked Matiang’i why he was sitting on the tender papers but Matiang’i said he was waiting for the minutes, which never came,” a government official aware of the incident said.
It is also understood that sometime this year the DP asked Matiang’i to approve a deal in which some “investors” wanted to develop prison land. The prison is located in Rift Valley on a huge piece of land.