New twist as PS Kibicho now complains against DP Ruto’s harassment

Interior Principal Secretary Karanja Kibicho has now filed a complaint against Deputy President William Ruto at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, further widening the rift in the Jubilee Government.

Dr Kibicho has accused Ruto, who is technically his boss, of harassment, which adds a new twist to an ongoing investigation against three Cabinet secretaries as well as other top officials, including the PS, on claims of a plot to undermine the DP.

Kibicho had been mentioned as the convener of a meeting at La Mada Hotel along Thika Road, where the plot against Ruto allegedly featured, prompting the summoning of the three CSs by the DCI on Monday.

The PS had been expected to appear at the DCI headquarters to respond as a suspect, but on Tuesday night he went there as a complainant.

Officials said that the PS recorded a statement over what he feels is sustained harassment from the DP and cited an incident in which he had an altercation with Ruto at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) last month. Both Ruto and Kibicho denied that the incident happened at the time.

“The PS was at the DCI headquarters last evening (Tuesday) from 7pm to record a statement on the past events. He was giving his version on the happenings and gave details of those who witnessed the same,” disclosed a top Government official aware of the development.

Record statement

He continued; “He was not there to record a statement on the alleged La Mada Hotel meeting but to give details of what has transpired in the recent past with his boss.”

Kibicho and DCI boss George Kinoti refused to comment on the issue yesterday. Their handlers, too, said the matter was beyond their mandate.

The PS and the DP had an ugly confrontation in full view of top security officials as they waited for President Uhuru Kenyatta to arrive from an overseas trip.

The DP had been angered by the regional administration’s failure to attend his functions in Nyeri and Nyandarua counties and he accused Kibicho of undermining his authority.

This was after the PS demanded that the DP’s office furnish his office with an itinerary of his trips across the country for security planning.

It is not clear what will be the next move by the DCI after this latest development. This after it emerged that the DP is not keen on recording a statement with the DCI over his earlier claims that some members of the Executive from Mt Kenya region were plotting to assassinate him.

“Those who want him to record a statement know what he is talking about and can investigate the matter without his input, which he will not give anyway,” said one of his aides.

The DP is said to have informed the President of the alleged assassination plot, prompting an investigation. This was after a letter circulated on social media detailing the alleged plot to undermine the DP.

Detectives are now investigating the source of the letter that named four CSs and a number of PSs, including Kibicho.

Although those in the know have dismissed the letter as fake, investigators are reported to have raided an exclusive cyber office at a location in Karen, where it is believed to have been drafted.

“A lot has been retrieved from that office. The officers are presently pursuing two individuals, who are suspected to have been behind the fake letter to cause a scare,” said another official.

The official, while referring to the letter that was purportedly addressed to the President, described the happenings as ‘a political circus’, saying Cabinet secretaries do not write to the President directly but through Head of Public Service Joseph Kinyua.

Ruto has refused to record his statement, which would officially kick-off an investigation, thus forcing police to now concentrate on the source of the letter.

After Uhuru was informed of the assassination claims, he summoned a meeting with his security bosses at State House on Saturday.

It was during the meeting that the President ordered the matter be investigated to the end.

He also ordered all those who had attended the meeting at La Mada Hotel be questioned.

It emerged 32 members of the executive from Mt Kenya region attended the meeting on May 14. They included Cabinet secretaries Peter Munya (Trade), Joseph Mucheru (ICT), and Sicily Kariuki (Health).

PSs Andrew Kamau (Energy and Petroleum), Joseph Njoroge (Energy), Nicholas Muraguri (Health) and Andrew Wakahiu (head of the Presidential Delivery Unit) were among those who presented themselves on Monday.

CS James Macharia’s name is also on the letter but did not visit the DCI because he is away in China.

They revealed that they had been summoned over a letter detailing a meeting where the DP was the alleged ‘main agenda’. They, however, refused to be questioned until Ruto had recorded a statement to back the claims.

Munya confirmed that a group of leaders from the region had held a meeting as alleged but the DP was never on the agenda.

They termed the claims as ‘wild and unsubstantiated’.