Ruto: I have 200,000 chicken and make Sh1.5m a day selling eggs

Deputy President William Ruto in Karen, Nairobi, on August 21, 2021. [Boniface Okendo,Standard]

Deputy President William Ruto says the list of his assets presented before National Assembly National Security and Administration Committee yesterday by Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i was 70 per cent accurate.

Speaking at his Karen residence today when he addressed leaders from Nakuru county, the DP denied owning the 15,000-acre ADC Mutara Ranch in Laikipia County.

“The Office of the President was 70 per cent right, but they added me some property like the ADC land that isn’t mine,” he said. 

He, however, said CS Matiang’i did better than the media which he said had carried a wrong lifestyle audit on him, associating him with property he did not own.

“In their illegal audit, the media gave me Six-Eighty Hotel and Boulevard which was not part of Matang’i’s list,” he added.

The DP revealed he makes Sh1.5 million every day from the sale of eggs from his 200,000 chickens and that he holds 400,000 Safaricom shares and 80,000 Kenya Airways shares.

 "They could have added that in that my poultry business, I have 200,000 chickens and that I get 150,000 eggs daily which earns me Sh1.5 million daily," he said.

Ruto said he will write to Matiang’i to delete the property the CS included in their list that don't belong to him.

He, however, challenged the CS to carry out lifestyle audits for other politicians so that Kenyans can also know what they own.

The DP said in an attempt to paint him rich, Matiang’i ended up explaining to Kenyans what hustler means.

He explained that ‘hustler’ means one can move from a humble background to be someone who is discussed in the media.

“A man who bought his first shoes from a Mr Onyango by the road can rise to become the DP and his property be published in the dailies, that is a good thing for other hustlers,” he said.

Ruto’s list of property

CS Matiang’í, in a submission to Parliament following summons on Wednesday, listed some Ruto's which includes hotels, ranches and a poultry farm. The DP also has two homes in Uasin Gishu County.

According to the document tabled before the Parliamentary National Security and Administration Committee, the DP also owns five helicopters and two hangars under Kwale Island Development Ltd,  five helicopters and hangars at Wilson Airport in Nairobi.

The DP owns Weston Hotel in Nairobi and Dolphine Hotel in Mombasa, according to the list presented by Matiang’i. Dolphine, according to the government document, sits on a three-hectare plot.

Further, Matingai's associated Ruto with a gas company in Kitengela, Machakos County,  and Koitalel Poultry Farm in Eldoret.

Ruto told those seeking United Democratic Alliance (UDA) tickets for the 2022 General Election that the party will hold a free and fair nomination exercise.

“Our nomination certificates will not be about how close you are to the DP or powerful politicians in the new party,” he said.

The DP said even those who want to vie for President through UDA are free to join the party and take him head-on, saying the party must be built on the foundation of fairness.

“Those who want to run against me, let them come out and declare their candidature, we will compete fairly and the winner will be given the ticket,” he added.