Ruto Explains Why He was Inoculated with Sputnik V Covid-19 Jab Instead of AstraZeneca

Deputy President William Ruto has defended his decision to be inoculated with Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccine whose importation into the country was shrouded in controversy.

Ruto was among the first people in Kenya to receive the Russian-manufactured jab that had been shipped into the country by a private company.

He was criticized for snubbing the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine that was publicly administered to President Kenyatta and other Cabinet members.

But in an interview with Citizen TV’s Linus Kaikai, Ruto said he was not invited to the vaccination exercise for senior government officials which took place at State House, Nairobi on March 26th.

“When the President decided that it was time for himself and the Cabinet to take the vaccine, I think inadvertently someone forgot to invite me and so I was not available during that exercise. I am not blaming anybody maybe some secretary there forgot to inform me,” said Ruto.

He added: “If I did not go State House I had the choice of going to queue in the health center next to my residence here but what would that do? … I would have probably taken a vaccine that would have been taken by a mama mboga or somebody else. The vaccine I took cost Sh7,000 to a deputy president. You want to tell me I cannot pay Sh7,000 for an available vaccine; not because it is different or expensive but because we have 1 million vaccines and we have to vaccinate 20 million Kenyans.” 

Ruto further disapproved of the decision by the Health Ministry to ban the importation and administration of the Covid-19 vaccine by private entities.

“It is my position that we should have every available vaccine type notwithstanding. We should encourage the private sector to roll out as long as it is approved by the government. Let Kenyans who can pay, pay,” he said.

He added: “The most important exercise we should be engaging in right now is vaccination because once we have vaccinated 70% of Kenyans that is the only way we can reopen this country.”