Gachagua: Ruto pocketed Sh3.5 billion from Rironi-Mau Summit Road deal

Construction of the Rironi–Nakuru–Mau Summit Highway (A8). [Courtesy]

DCP party leader Rigathi Gachagua has accused President William Ruto of pocketing 3.5 billion shillings after his administration cancelled a tender to construct the Rironi Mau Summit road, which was to be constructed by Vinci, a French company.

The government paid 7.1 billion shillings as a cancellation fee to the French consortium before the tender was given to China Road and Bridges Corporation and Shandong Hi-Speed Road and Bridge International Engineering.

Rigathi has claimed that Ruto pocketed 3.5 billion shillings out of the deal before awarding the contract at what he termed an exaggerated fee.

“China has said that the road is a political project and that is why construction has stopped; we have heard roads cabinet secretary Davis Chirchir saying that the construction has stopped because of the Middle East war where bitumen transportation has been affected, but this is a lie,” Rigathi said.

Rigathi added that the road is being constructed using pensioners' money in excess of 30 billion shillings, warning that NSSF will refund the monies when the joint opposition takes over power.

“The NSSF board of trustees, you will have a day in court; you will need to explain how pensioners' money of this kind of volume was allowed to do road construction. It is against the law; the Chinese government has told me that this is a political project, more so because next year is an election year,” Rigathi said.

I want to be clear: the Chinese government has said there is no money for this project and so Chirchir is lying to Kenyans.

“I want to tell China Roads and Bridges Corporation and Shandong company that next year that money you have taken from Kenyan pensioners will be returned, and I am also putting the directors of Shandong and CRBC; you will also have a day in court for stealing public funds from pensioners,” Rigathi said.

Rigathi said that the road was initially to be constructed during Uhuru Kenyatta reign for 150 billion shillings; the works cost was escalated to 200 billion.

“This is where Ruto got a cool 3.5 billion, with the French company taking home 3.5 billion shillings without doing anything,” Rigathi said.

The DCP party leader took a swipe at President William Ruto and Kikuyu MP Kimani Ichungwa, whom he accused of intimidating the church.

The comments came after Reverend James Kabue of PCEA Kamangu told congregants in the church where Rigathi and his entourage were worshipping that he had faced a lot of trouble after it was known that Rigathi was to worship at Kamangu PCEA Church.

The reverend told the congregation that there was serious opposition to Rigathi's visit within the church ranks.

“The presbytery had instructions that Rigathi should not be welcomed in the church and should not actually step into the church; the excellency I was called and told not to allow you here, my job now could be hanging on the balance because you're here,” Reverend Kabue said.

While responding to the intimidation, DCP leader Rigathi said that it was appalling that President William Ruto had successfully chased him and his allies from the government and he is now following them to church to chase them away.

“PCEA church has bore the blunt of Ruto’s repression and intimidation of the church he started this game with PCEA Mwiki where he and his cronies unleashed goons who battered people in the place of worship, followed by another attack in PCEA Kariobangi where his men threw teargas in church and now we are in PCEA Kamangu where he has infiltrated the church through Kikuyu MP Kimani Ichung'wa to intimidate the man of God and the faithful, what problem does William Have with the church more so the pr esbyterian church, we as presbyterians supported you, you have repayed us with persecution and intimidation ” Rigathi said.

Rigathi told the congregants that he will personally write a letter to the Moderator General Assembly and question this intimidation, especially against Rev. Kiarie.

“I will tell the moderator to refuse being used by politicians, particularly Kimani Ichungwa, who thinks that he is so loved by William Ruto, and Kimani should ask me about this plastic love by Ruto. Ruto will love Kimani as long as he can use him and eventually dump him after a successful use,” Rigathi said.

The DCP leader fired another salvo at Kimani Ichung’wa, saying that it is nauseating and regrettable that the Kikuyu constituency that carried the name of a community is led by a man hell-bent on persecuting his people.

“This place is known as Kikuyu, our identity; regrettably, the same place where political persecutions are hatched and oiled; this is the place where alleged arsonists who have been in courts without witnesses come from just because Kimani Ichung'wa is the MP. Why do you persecute your own people, if one day you're not insulting me, including on the floor of the house you are insulting former President Uhuru Kenyatta,” Rigathi said.

While re echoing Rigathi's sentiments, Kiambu Senator Karung wa Thangwa said that it is unbelievable that the same man who toured the nation, more so the mountain region, armed with a Bible and hymns, is the same man who is now persecuting the church.

“This man came to us with a bible, read verses for us and even sang our local hymns in our language. Unbeknownst to us, you had carried the bible to blind us, as you have turned to persecuting the very church you had betrothed and which was your signature institution; kindly leave the church alone; stop intimidating pastors and shepherds,” Karungo said.