The high political temperatures in the country, fuelled by the Ksh39 billion scandal featuring Deputy President William Ruto’s close ally, Rashid Echesa, on Wednesday spilled over into the social media space, with highly opinionated netizens clashing over the integrity of the deputy head of state.
Investigations into the fake-guns tender, allegedly plotted and implemented by Echesa, on Friday looped the DP in, after it emerged that a secretive meeting related to the scandal took place at his Harambee Annex office.
Under #StepAsideRuto, critics of the deputy head of state expressed their disgruntlement at the fact that Ruto continues to hold office, even after being adversely mentioned in several other corruption and fraud cases in the past.
Also of concern to a section of Kenyans was what would happen to the country, if the DP managed to clinch the presidency in 2022, given his ‘reputation’.
On their part, supporters of the DP rose up in arms to defend his honor, noting that the politician had, of late, been turned into a punching bag for his politically frustrated opponents.
Speaking out in self-defense, Ruto, through his press team, asserted that he was nowhere near Harambee Annex on the day the controversial meeting, linking his office to Echesa’s fraudulent dealings, occurred.
Throwing the ex-sports CS under the bus, he added that Echesa had not made any appointments to see him over any matters, personal or business.
At least seven employees at Ruto’s office are set to be grilled by detectives working on the case, to shed more light on what transpired in the 23 minutes that Echesa, and his entourage, spent at the DP’s office.
Sources close to the probe indicated that those targeted for questioning include security guards and receptionists, who might have interacted with the said visitors.