National Assembly minority leader John Mbadi accused Deputy President William Ruto of undermining anti-graft efforts by defending officials amid a 2019 investigation into mismanagement of funds for the Kimwarer and Arror dams.
Mbadi highlighted a stark contrast between Ruto's claim that only Sh7 billion had been spent on the Elgeyo Marakwet projects and the Sh21 billion allocated, which the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) was probing. The DCI had questioned Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich for four days over the funds in 2019.
"It is wrong for the Deputy President to assert only Sh7 billion was spent when the full allocation remains under investigation. Such statements suggest he possesses information not shared with the public," Mbadi said during a fundraiser for Okok Secondary School's dormitory construction in Ndhiwa constituency.
ODM leader Raila Odinga criticized Ruto's remarks, calling the Sh7 billion figure "not pocket change" for basic needs. Odinga questioned how Ruto knew the exact amount spent, prompting Ruto to defend his right to comment as deputy president.
Mbadi warned that Ruto's interventions risked derailing the war on graft. "The fight against corruption requires unity, not remarks that shield suspects," he stated, urging the deputy president to await official investigation results before commenting.
