NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 20 – Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiangi on Thursday denied calling for Deputy President William Ruto’s resignation when he appeared before the Senate Security Committee on Wednesday.
A statement released by the ministry termed the story carried on a leading national television as false and malicious.
“The net effect of such fabrications can cause disharmony in the executive arm of government,” the ministry stated.
Ruto and Matiangi have been on collision path with the CS openly declaring, in thinly veiled references, that he does not take orders from anyone in Cabinet other than President Uhuru Kenyatta.
In its response to the media report ministry however said the Cabinet Secretary had referred the matter to his lawyers with a view to seek legal redress.
“The Ministry of Interior and Coordination of National Government takes great exception to the false and malicious report carried by NTV in their 9 pm news bulletin on 19 August 2020, suggesting that the Cabinet Secretary Dr. Fred Matiangi called for the resignation of the Deputy President,” the statement read.
Matiangi had appeared alongside Inspector General of Police Hillary Mutyambai and Director of Criminal Investigations George Kinoti to answer why three Senators were arrested on Monday, as the Senate debated on the revenue sharing formulae.
During the session Matiangi told the Senators that the arrest had nothing to do with the revenue stalemate, however Parliament press corps were barred from covering the grilling session.
Despite the media not being present at the session, Interior Ministry said, “the unverified report is a misrepresentation of the true record of the proceedings readily and publicly available, even to NTV, in Parliament’s Hansard records.”
DP Ruto and ODM leader Raila Odinga were among leaders who called out the dramatic arrest of the three Senators, saying the State shouldn’t use criminal justice to intimidate and blackmail elected leaders.
“The abuse of police and criminal justice to bully citizens,threaten & intimidate leaders and now blackmail senate is WRONG.VERY WRONG. It’s NOT the reason millions woke up early to vote for us,” the Deputy President tweeted on August 18.
