This archive report was first published on 23 December 2019.
Deputy President William Ruto has dismissed allegations that he threatened Machakos Governor Alfred Mutua at State House, describing the claims as 'baseless'.
Speaking during a sports event in Budalangi, Busia County, Ruto said he had simply given Mutua a firm handshake, which the governor had misinterpreted as a threat.
'I was just shaking hands with him, and he ran to the police to report me,' Ruto said, laughing.
He wondered what Mutua would have done if he had shaken hands with a Luhya man, suggesting that the governor would have reported the incident to the International Criminal Court at The Hague.
On December 11, 2019, Mutua had recorded a statement at Kilimani Police Station accusing Ruto of squeezing his hand and giving him a mean look during a banquet at State House.
He had also accused Senate Majority Leader Kipchumba Murkomen and his National Assembly counterpart Aden Duale of bullying him at a different function at State House.
Mutua had retweeted tweets linking Ruto to the murder of businessman Jacob Juma, who was killed in May 2016.
