Political brokers behind gold scam, says Deputy President

Deputy President William Ruto receives donations during a fundsdrive for Bumula constituency women groups at St. Jude Muanda R.C Primary School in Bungoma county on May, 19, 2019 (Benjamn Sakwa, Standard)

Deputy President William Ruto has claimed that Opposition political brokers are behind the recent fake gold scam that has hit headlines in the past one week.

Speaking in Muanda, Bumula Constituency yesterday, Dr Ruto said those behind the scam that is likely to put the country in a diplomatic showdown with the United Arab Emirate's royal family, were well-known people that had been in politics. 

Well-known people

“These people are well-known and have evolved. They are now conning business people in the name of selling gold, which has turned out to be fake,” he said.

Ruto said Opposition leaders were quick to criticise other leaders on matters corruption, yet they were perpetrators of more serious vices.

“The Opposition accused Jubilee of stealing the Eurobond, which was false. They said we’ve sold Mombasa Port, which was false. Now they are selling fake gold. Kenyans now know who the con men are,” he said, adding that the Opposition-connected "political con men" had expanded their tentacles to international boundaries by claiming to conduct legitimate businesses.

He asked leaders to put aside political differences and take a common stand on matters affecting the people.

“Some leaders should stop pretending they are clean yet they are part of dubious deals, as in the case of the fake gold,” he added.

The country has been hit by news reports about a fake gold scam that has roped in politicians and senior Government officials with one of the implicated businessmen, Zaheer Jhanda, coming out