Sh7bn sio pesa ya kununua mandazi - Raila lashes out at Ruto

Piece by: star.writer
Exclusives

ODM party leader Raila Odinga has bashed DP William Ruto over his remarks on the Arror, Kimwarer dams scandal.

Ruto during an event on Thursday denied reports that the Sh21 billion allocated to the dams had vanished. "You' have heard that the government has lost about Sh21 billion which is a flat lie! The money in question is about Sh7 billion, and for every coin that has been paid, we have a bank guarantee," he said.

But Raila speaking during a meeting with ODM members on Friday, said nobody is above the law in the fight against corruption. He said, "Sh7 billion is not pocket change. Sio pesa ya kununua mandazi halafu wanaenda pande hii wanasema ooh sisi ni wakulima.. akitoka pale ooh mimi ni mfugaji.. yeye nikama popo."

This translates to:

Sh7 billion is not pocket change. It's not money that can be used to buy mandazi. They are going around saying: 'We are farmers'. That person is like a hippo

An aide to Ruto was roped into the multi-billion dam scandal which is under active investigations by Kenyan authorities.

Ken Osinde is on the DCI radar after a company he is associated with is suspected to have played a role in the multi-billion tenders for construction of Kimwarer and Arror dams in Elgeyo Marakwet county.

Raila said, "People should be prepared to carry their own cross. When you are stealing you don't tell people that I have stolen money come we share... you only eat with your wife.. A criminal is a criminal."

Uhuru on Thursday said the Judiciary is not immune to the temptations of corruption and its officers must guard against criminals out to exploit court processes to escape the consequences of their economic crimes.