DP Ruto Reacts to Governor Mutua’s Threat Claims

Deputy President William Ruto has played down claims by Machakos Governor Alfred Mutua that he threatened him at State House, Nairobi on December 11th.

Speaking on Sunday in Budalang’i, Busia County, where he attended a sports event, DP Ruto laughed off the allegations, terming them a non-issue.

“Yule jamaa mwingine mliskia alilalamika juzi, ati nilimsalimia…ati nilifanya nini…(laughs)…ati nilimsalimia tu nikamwangalia, akakimbia kunishtaki kwa polisi. Kama angesalimiwa na huyu jamaa amekuwa akikoroga pot hapa si angekimbia Hague…” said Ruto.

(You heard him complaining that I firmly gripped his hands to suggest I was threatening him. Had he shaken hands with this man who rows a boat here, what would he say? I just shook his hands and gazed at him, and that was enough for him to run to the police station to report that I had threatened him. Had he greeted this man who rows a boat, he would have run to the ICC in The Hague to report him)

Last week, Governor Mutua recorded a statement with Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) alleging that his life was in danger after he was threatened by DP Ruto at State House.

 “On the evening of Wednesday, December 11, 2019, I was a guest at State House for a banquet in honor of the Barbados Prime Minister Mia Motley. I was standing in conversation with Raila Odinga and other leaders. Someone came to speak to Raila and as I turned to go and speak to another leader I came face to face with Deputy President William Ruto and I extended my hand to greet him,” he narrated.

Mutua added that DP Ruto firmly grabbed his hand and told him “you fellow, you have been attacking me very much…I must now crush you…I will crush you.”

He further claimed that National Assembly Majority Leader Aden Duale and his Senate counterpart Kipchumba Murkomen threatened him on a separate occasion at State House on November 25th. The two have since dismissed Mutua’s claims.

“They told me that I have a habit of attacking them. When I asked them how they told me ‘we will teach you a lesson because you have been attacking Deputy President William Ruto,’” claimed Mutua.