I'm now a bad man, but was good when I made you PM, Ruto to Raila

Deputy President William Ruto acknowledging greetings from Embakasi residents shortly after the Sunday service at Presbyterian Church of East Africa (PCEA) Umoja, Nairobi County on July 4, 2021. [DPPS, Standard]

Deputy President William Ruto has said ODM leader Raila Odinga has no moral authority to lecture anyone on the fight against corruption.

While addressing faithful at the Presbyterian Church of East Africa in Umoja on Sunday, July 4, Ruto revisited the 2011 Kazi Kwa Vijana scandal in which the Office of the Prime Minister was implicated for the loss of Sh33 million.

Raila, however, maintained no money was lost in the Kazi Kwa Vijana project accusing those making the allegations of playing politics.

He even tabled several documents including a final report of the World Bank to prove there was no fraud or corruption in the project's implementation.

Cartels in government

Ruto also accused Raila of shouting about the fight against corruption while at the same time running cartels that rob Kenyans of their resources through Covid-19 billionaires.

“When they were in government, they stole from young people and while in the opposition they still steal from Kenyans through cartels as they lecture us on the war against corruption,” said the DP.

The DP told Raila to stop being jealous when he [Ruto] gives donations to churches and ordinary Kenyans yet he [Raila] was a beneficiary of his generosity.

“They accuse me of helping churches, boda boda riders and mama mboga, but they don’t tell you I once helped them until they got big positions in government,” he said.

Ruto was referring to the 2007 General Election where he campaigned for Raila when ran for the presidency against President Mwai Kibaki.

Though Raila did not win the election, it was marred with chaos and claims of rigging leading to the 2007/08 post-election violence witnessed in the country.

After President Kibaki and Raila held talks spearheaded by former UN Secretary-General Kofi Anan, a Grand Coalition Government was formed with the latter becoming Prime Minister.

He said he will not stop helping the ordinary Kenyans, adding that if he wins the election in 2022, he will create a Sh30 billion kitty to buttress hustlers.

They are jealous and lamenting whenever I help these small people, I don’t know what they will do if we create a Sh30 billion kitty for them next year,” Ruto said.

Disrupting Big Four Agenda

Ruto also accused Raila of disrupting the Big Four Agenda after being invited into government by President Uhuru Kenyatta.

He said Jubilee through the Big Four agenda wanted to create jobs for the youth before the ODM leader came up with the Building Bridges Initiative.

"The President out of the abundance of heart welcomed you to government, but you came and disrupted the Big 4 agenda which would have created jobs for plumbers, masons and other Kenyans."

Ruto's remarks came following the former ODM leader's remarks on Saturday in Mombasa on how he will deal with corrupt politicians should he become President.

Raila claimed senior politicians in the country have been stealing billions of shillings that they then donate to churches, women/youth groups for political mileage.

“They are hyenas,” claimed Raila.

“You see them come here in sheep’s clothing and claim they will fundraise for women and youth groups. That is stolen money.”

Raila also claimed the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) project which was built during President Uhuru Kenyatta and Ruto’s tenure was inflated by almost Sh120 billion.