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Deputy President William Ruto’s security detail has been scaled up following claims of a plan to assassinate him.
According to The Standard, President Uhuru Kenyatta is said to have ordered the deployment of more security officers to the DP’s detail in a bid to thwart attempts on his life, if any.
The decision is believed to have been made on Saturday during a meeting convened by the President at State House, Nairobi.
The meeting was attended by top-level security personell among them Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i, Inspector General of Police Hilary Mutyambai, Director of Criminal Investigations (DCI) George Kinoti, National Intelligence Service Director General Philip Kameru and Interior Principal Secretary Karanja Kibicho.
According to highly placed sources who spoke to The Standard, the meeting was convened after DP Ruto reportedly informed the President of meetings by principal secretaries and parastatal bosses from Mt Kenya region to plot his political downfall and assassination.
President Uhuru also ordered all those mentioned as part of the La Mada Hotel meeting be summoned to the DCI to assist in investigations.
Stalled investigations
However, addressing the press outside the DCI offices on Monday, the leaders revealed that they were unable to record statements since there was no written complaint by the DP.
It has also emerged that the investigations are at an impasse after the DP insisted that only DCI boss George Kinoti can take his statement.
Reports in The Standard indicate that Michael Sang, the head of Economic Crime Unit who was appointed by Kinoti to lead investigations into the claims, was unable to meet Ruto on Monday.
“(Sang) was kept waiting for the better part of Monday afternoon in vain. We are still waiting for the way forward,” said an officer who sought anonymity.
IG Hilary Mutyambai is said to have reached out to Ruto on Monday, explaining why it was important to have his statement taken, as it was the basis of the probe.
An official close to Ruto claimed they had an audio of what was discussed during the meetings, saying that the DP would consider giving his statement towards the end of the probe.
“Let Kinoti go to the hotel and review the CCTV footage of those who attended. He should also demand to see the minutes of the meeting and ask why the meetings were being held in the basement,” an aide of the DP said.
Additional reporting by The Standard Team.
