Update: Police deny approving DP Ruto’s Nyamira events after 'letter' goes viral

Deputy President William Ruto. [File, Standard]

Police in Nyamira have denied reports doing rounds on social media that they have cleared organisers to hold two events where the Deputy President William Ruto is expected to attend.

The two fundraiser events were cancelled last week and postponed to Thursday this week. 

The said letters have been circulating on the interwebs. They are addressed to MPs Shadrack Mose (Kitutu Masaba) and Vincent Kemosi (West Mugirango), instructing them to go ahead and plan for Deputy President William Ruto's fundraiser event that was cancelled last week.

The letters circulating on the internet instructing organisers to plan for Deputy President William Ruto's fundraiser event. [Courtesy]

Police bosses have disowned the letters and termed them as criminal propaganda on social media.

Approval process going on

The Masaba North Ward Police Commander Elam Esendi said the approval process was still ongoing and he will communicate the decision in due course.

"The letter on social media is from an unknown source and it should be known that we follow a chain of command and we cannot pre-empt the process. The events are for the office of the Presidency and it has to be approved through the chains of command. Communication will be issued once it is passed through the procedures," Esendi said.

The letters were all dated October 13 and had reference numbers, National Police Service letterheads and rubber stamps accompanied with purported signatures of the respective Ward Commanders.

County Commissioner Amos Mariba has said investigations have started to find out the origin of the fake approval letters.

"Such are criminal elements who are breaching the law of public order," Mariba said.

Events cancelled for non-compliance 

The events that were canceled on Thursday last week were planned by the two MPs and DP Ruto was to be the chief guest.

Members of a musical band leave Kebirigi Primary School grounds where Deputy President William Ruto was to have a fundraiser last week after police ordered people who had gathered at the venue to leave. [Stanley Ongwa, Standard]

But County Commissioner termed the events illegal and that the organisers had not complied with the requisite Covid-19 protocols and the newly formulated National Security Council Advisory on public order.

Police had to lob teargas canisters and chase away members of the public who had gathered in the two venues.

In West Mugirango, Ruto was to do a fundraiser for bodaboda riders in the constituency at Kebirigo Primary while in Kitutu Masaba, he was to do a similar function for 10 Seventh Day Adventist churches at Miriri Secondary School.