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Sensational claims by Azimio-One Kenya Executive Director Raphael Tuju that Deputy President William Ruto was paid billions of shillings in 2013 by President Uhuru Kenyatta in exchange for his support could lift the lid on behind-the-scenes skullduggery and power games. 

Kenyan politicians have been known to trade their political strengths for either cash or government appointments.

Tuju, who doubles as a minister-without-portfolio in Uhuru’s said: “If it is necessary for me to repeat this in a court of law, I will, because I know I have the evidence”. He alleged that before the political marriage of Uhuru and Ruto — partially forced by their International Criminal Court cases — Ruto asked for cash and a share of government as conditions to back Uhuru.

Uhuru, then a Deputy Prime Minister, had founded the defunct The National Alliance (TNA), and, like Ruto, had declared his intentions to succeed President Mwai Kibaki (deceased). But after a series of joint campaigns and high-level talks, in December 2, 2012, the  then Gatundu South MP and Ruto signed a pre-election agreement that led them to form the Jubilee alliance.

“Many people who supported  Uhuru went out of their way to raise the money to make Ruto come on board. For a man who says Sh7 billion is small money (relating to the cash allegedly lost in the Kimwarer and Arorr dams constrcution scandal), you can imagine, it (the payout) was in billions. Then the final payment was through grabbing certain ministries. Making sure of Finance, Agriculture, Infrastructure, and Principal Secretaries,” Tuju said in a live interview on Citizen TV on Wednesday night.

But the DP, through his spokesperson Emmanuel Talaam, rubbished the claims, describing them as lies. He dared Tuju to give proof. “Because he (Tuju) seems to know more, he should provide receipts for the payment. It is amazing how Tuju never gets exhausted of being used and dumped by Deep State agents to fight the DP”, Talaam told People Daily.

While the claims of a cash payout remain unsubstantiated, Uhuru has maintained that, during the 2017 elections, though he had the majority of voters and was the president, his deputy demanded half of the government, which he got.

The former Jubilee Secretary-generaal said: “A politician from western Kenya asked for Sh900 million from former Prime Minister Raila Odinga” to back his presidential bid in the August 9 elections.

Former vice presidents Musalia Mudavadi and Kalonzo Musyoka have also occasionally defended themselves against allegations that they demanded huge amounts of cash from Ruto and Raila.

Hard-line positions

During high-level negotiations spearheaded by Uhuru to cobble up the Azimio coalition, both Mudavadi and Kalonzo  took hard-line positions against the push to have them back Raila’s bid. 

While the Amani National Congress boss was accused by some party members of pocketing Sh300 million to join Kenya Kwanza Alliance, the Wiper boss was accused by the three Ukambani governors of demanding billions from Raila’s side.

Raila’s running-mate, Martha Karua, in one of her visits to Mt Kenya region, said weak candidates in Azimio would be dropped in favour of strong ones to avoid sibling rivalry. She said the coalition has many opportunities to reward candidates, if it wins, but they should forget cash compensation for pulling out of the polls.

Former ANC deputy party leader and Lugari MP Ayub Savula, who later decamped to Democratic Action Party after ANC signed a pact with Ruto in January this year, alleged that while the “handshake” team was keen to have Mudavadi on board, he was busy having “night meetings” with Ruto.  Savula claimed that the former Deputy Prime Minister negotiated for Sh300 million to drop his presidential bid in favour of Ruto.

Mudavadi rubbished the claims several times, insisting that he and Ford Kenya leader Moses Wetangula yeamed up with  the Ruto camp because of the sweet deal offered to the Luhya community, compared with what Azimio proffered.

In his bid to woo western Kenya voters, Ruto has promised the region a third of government positions. Also on the cards is construction of 1,000km new roads in five years.

For Kalonzo, who agreed to back Raila for the third time despite having been dropped as a running-mate, the Azimio team is said to have agreed to offer his party the Foreign Affairs docket, which he will hold, and also be the Chief Cabinet Secretary. 

Other reserved ministries are Energy, Water and Health, besides more government posts. In January, governors Alfred Mutua (Machakos), Charity Ngilu (Kitui) and Kivutha Kibwana (Makueni) claimed they were aware of secret financial demands by Kalonzo before he could back Raila again. “We know the Kalonzo camp asked for Sh3 billion to sell our Kamba community,” claimed Mutua, who later joined the Kenya Kwanza camp.

But the Kalonzo team, led by Makueni MP Dan Maanzo, dismissed the allegations as propaganda.

“ANC and Ford Kenya shall have 30 per cent of the positions in national government, including cabinet secretaries, principal secretaries, ambassadors/high commissioners, heads of diplomatic missions, chairs of state corporations, directors of state corporations and chairpersons and commissioners of constitutional commissions, provided that the aforesaid 30 per cent positions shall be shared equally between ANC and Ford Kenya’’, reads part of the deal.

For Kalonzo, who agreed to back Raila for the third time despite having been dropped as a running mate, the Azimio team is said to have agreed to offer his party the Foreign Affairs docket, which he will hold, and also be the chief CS. Other reserved ministries are energy, water and health ministries, besides other government posts.

Kalonzo has also battled accusations of attempting to obtain Sh3 billion in exchange of political support. Governors Alfred Mutua (Machakos), Charity Ngilu (Kitui) and Kivutha Kibwana (Makueni) stirred the hornet’s nest in January when they claimed they were aware of secret financial demands by Kalonzo before he could back Raila again. “We know they have asked for Sh3 billion to sell our Kamba community for their own interests,” claimed Mutua, who later joined the DP’s camp.

But the Kalonzo team, led by Makueni MP Dan Maanzo, dismissed the allegations as propaganda.