There's no small money in corruption - Raila tells Ruto

Nasa leader Raila Odinga has told DP William Ruto to stop politicising the war on graft and let those involved in the Arror and Kimwarer dam scandals carry their own cross.

Echoing President Uhuru Kenyatta’s remarks at the Devolution Conference he said, “If we are talking about the theft of the dams and figures are there, don’t come and tell us that it was not Sh20 billion it was only Sh7 billion.

“Let the investigation authority complete the investigations, who are you to tell us? How did you know?” Raila said.

Raila said it is wrong to politicise the war on graft and let those involved in the dam scandals carry their own cross.

Read: Sh7b isn't pocket change to buy Maandazis, Raila bashes Ruto over dam scandal

On February 28 during the release of Judiciary’s annual report, Ruto dismissed claims that Sh21 billion was lost in the multipurpose dam project in Elgeyo Marakwet.

He termed it a "flat lie" saying every penny paid out to the contractor has a bank guarantee and cannot, therefore, be presumed to have been lost.

While terming the formula used by those claiming funds were lost as ‘mandazinomics’, Ruto said, “the correct information must be used as we target the fight against corruption so that we can nail the real culprit".

Read: Flat lie? DP Ruto denies loss of Sh21 billion in dams scandal

The Opposition chief reiterated Uhuru’s stance that those with information on corruption should take it to the DCI instead of making noise at funerals.

This, he said, applies to everybody including the President and himself.

“This thing will happen to everybody. If it’s Raila Odinga, Raila should answer for himself. Everybody should be allowed to carry their own crosses.” 

Citing Malaysian central bank governor Muhammad Ibrahim who resigned over a land scandal and Indonesia’s Social Affairs Minister Idras Maham who was named a suspect in graft, Raila said Kenyan leaders mentioned in corruption should imitate world leaders.

In Kenya, Raila said, politicians have politicized the war on graft by always making it a collective responsibility of communities.

“If corruption happens in a department, you arrest those who are there. You cannot make it a balancing act and go and include other people to balance it asking ‘why have you arrested a Luo, why have we not seen a Kalenjin? No, the Luo who was there is the one who must be arrested,” Raila said.

Read: Go tell DCI what I've stolen - Uhuru tells Sudi