Police Arrest Turkish Businessman Associated with Deputy President William Ruto

A Turkish businessman associated with Deputy President William Ruto was on Saturday arrested by security officers in Nairobi.

Harun Aydin, who was in Ruto’s aborted trip to Uganda, was arrested at Wilson Airport in Nairobi upon arriving in the country and was taken to Kilimani police station before being transferred to the anti-terror offices on Ngong Road where he was locked.

“Together with the lawyers at the Anti-Terror Nairobi Offices on Ngong Road where Harun Aydin is locked, we have been denied access,” MP Oscar Sudi said.

The foreigner was set to accompany Ruto to Uganda for a private visit alongside Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro, his Kapseret counterpart Oscar Sudi and businessmen David Lagat, David Muge, Simon Mogun, and Nelson Kisalit.

The seven flew to the neighboring country on Monday but the deputy president was blocked from boarding a private jet at Wilson Airport where he was stranded for five hours. He was forced to cancel the trip after immigration officials insisted he must have a travel clearance from President Kenyatta as required of all State officials.

But in an interview on Wednesday, Ruto maintained he does not need any clearance to travel abroad on private trips. “I have been a Deputy President for 9 years and I have traveled to many places. I have never been asked to produce clearance,” said Ruto.

Ruto further defended the presence of Turkish businessman Aydin, who has been linked to terrorism activities, saying he is a well-known investor as confirmed by the Turkish embassy in Nairobi.

“The Turkish embassy itself has issued a statement saying he is a recognized businessman and has a work permit. There are those who want to destroy saying he is a terrorist,” he added.

The deputy president confirmed he helped Aydin obtain a Sh15 billion loan from Equity Bank to set up a vaccine plant in Uganda.