Ruto: A minister cooked up scandal

Agriculture Minister William Ruto discloses to The Standard on Sunday’s OSCAR OBONYO how the maize war was won

Question: You have repeatedly mentioned that the alleged maize scam was nothing but a political warfare. If it is political, which politicians were targeting you?

Answer: If allegations were made not on the basis of merit, what else can it be? This whole story was cooked up and engineered by a Cabinet minister. The plot was so well choreographed to tie in with corruption and another nebulous thing called political responsibility.

Q: So who is this Cabinet colleague?

A: There is no need to mention, because I think Kenyans know who it is.

Q: Well, I will not push any further. But given that you are on a perpetual warpath with Justice Minister Martha Karua, what is your bone of contention with her?

A: She is simply obsessed with 2012 and that sickens me! She sent emissaries to me, twice last year, inviting me to discuss the 2012 presidential elections. Emerging from a bloody election, I flatly refused to be drawn into such a discussion. But even earlier, during the Serena talks, we clashed on several occasions over her rather unfriendly positions.

Q: What about your newfound relationship with Energy Minister Kiraitu Murungi?

A: He never said he is my buddy. The relationship we have is that we both serve in the same Government as Cabinet ministers. However, what Kiraitu stressed is that he does not wish to see another Kenyan (minister) to be dragged through mud without substantive evidence, as was his case in the Anglo Leasing saga. Can you imagine sitting around the dining table with your family and your children wondering aloud whether you stole maize? It is unfair!

Q: And what do you make of the remarks attributed to Dr Oburu Oginga, requesting you to step aside to pave way for investigations?

A: I do not think Oburu was alone in this particular one, given the misleading figures and information that had been spilled to the media. I do not want to blame him for it because many like him, within and outside ODM, believed I was guilty and wanted me to resign.

Q: But Waziri, Oburu is not just any other ODM legislator; he is a brother to the Prime Minister and your party leader (Raila Odinga). Don’t you think he was expressing ….

A: No no… I don’t think so. Dr Oburu is a politician like any other. Besides, I know the PM talks for himself and is not the type who would communicate to me through a third party. Whenever he has an issue, he raises me and we chat. And on this matter too, we discussed about it.

Q: Just how did you fight this maize war and have you come out stronger?

A: I went out of my way to lay all the available facts on the table. Coming in the face of hunger and drought in the country, it was naturally very difficult to explain myself out of the mess. Separately, I want Kenyans to understand that there are other real causes of hunger. An equivalent of three million bags of maize were destroyed, courtesy of the post-election violence. At the same time the cost of fertiliser and fuel shot up by more than 70 per cent, not to mention that the IDP situation condemned thousands of farmers to camps away from productive work. In summary, I think the censure Motion succeeded in according me a vote of confidence.

Q: Did you get support from outside ODM? I am talking about VP Kalonzo Musyoka and DPM, Uhuru Kenyatta…

A: This was not a party affair and yes… I got support across the political divide. MPs wanted facts placed on the table and I did just that. I am sure this is what persuaded most MPs, including those that you have just mentioned.

Q: One year on… what is your take on the performance of your party and Government?

A: Like any big party, ODM has had its fair share of challenges. However, it is back on its toes and the Government too has finally found a working formula to forge ahead — thanks to the recently unveiled 12-member team to harmonise operations of the Grand Coalition Government.

Q: What of the PM’s performance, who is now being accused alongside President Kibaki for failing Kenyans?

A: Honestly, the PM finds himself in a very difficult situation. You want the country to move beyond the election fiasco and yet at the same time retain your identity as a politician and that of your party.

Q: And finally, do you think your party will survive internal competition ahead of 2012?

A: I am sure it will, because we have no other foreseeable alternative.