Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Uhuru, Ruto dismiss Midiwo death claims



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Photo/FILE Former minister William Ruto (left) and  Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta during a meeting in Kericho recently.  They dismissed allegations of  a plot to assassinate Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
Photo/FILE Former minister William Ruto (left) and Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta during a meeting in Kericho recently. They dismissed allegations of a plot to assassinate Prime Minister Raila Odinga. 
By FRED MUKINDA fmukinda@ke.nationmedia.com BY SAMUEL KOECH skkoech@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted  Tuesday, April 17  2012 at  22:30
IN SUMMARY
  • Eldoret North MP asks security units to probe motive behind allegations
ICC suspects Uhuru Kenyatta and William Ruto on Tuesday dismissed allegations of a plot to assassinate Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
Mr Kenyatta’s spokesman, Mr Munyori Buku, dismissed the claims, saying that they were part of a “scheme to camouflage the biggest failure in that party (Orange Democratic Movement) — dictatorship and resistance to change”.
“This issue of dropping names of people holding senior positions recklessly, instead of working for Kenyans, is a scheme that borders on devilish acts,” said Mr Buku.
He added: “They should spend more energy resolving their party disputes. There is room for competitive politics without making defamatory statements.”
Mr Buku was referring to nomination of ODM’s presidential candidate, which has threatened to split the party, with some members insisting on unchallenged nomination of Mr Odinga as party leader while those allied to his deputy, Mr Musalia Mudavadi, proposing a competitive process to pick a contender.
Mr Ruto, the Eldoret North MP, said separately that it was unfortunate that people can make casual statements on sensitive matters pertaining to security.
He urged Kenyans to treat ODM chief whip Jakoyo Midiwo’s claims that there was a plot to kill Mr Odinga with the “contempt they deserve”.
“It is so unfortunate that people can make alarming, unsubstantiated statements that have no basis and are bound to cause unnecessary friction, especially at this time when the country is gearing for the general election,” said Mr Ruto.
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Mr Ruto said Deputy Prime Minister Kenyatta, Foreign Affairs minister Sam Ongeri and himself had recorded statements with the police and urged security agencies to move with haste in investigating the motive behind the claims.
Mr Ruto described Mr Midiwo’s claims as a “useless story”, adding that it is only a mad man who can think of hatching a plot to assassinate the Prime Minister. Mr Ruto spoke in Eldoret yesterday when he presided over the Eldoret West District education and prize giving day.
“If the PM can be at risk with the heavy security detail attached to him, then what about the ordinary Kenyan citizen?” asked Mr Ruto.

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