2022 Presidential Debate; William Ruto Claims He Asked Uhuru To Make China Contracts Public

President Uhuru Kenyatta has been accused of failing to disclose government contracts with China by Vice President William Ruto.

Speaking at the Tuesday Presidential Debate at the Catholic University of East Africa (CUEA), DP Ruto disclaimed responsibility by stating that his role is more of a support role to the Head-of-State and that, as a result, there is no assurance that President Kenyatta will take any of his recommendations into consideration with regard to the situation in Kenya.

According to DP Ruto, his duties include serving the Kenyan people, carrying out any legal obligations placed upon him, and offering advice to the president as needed.

“As DP there is so much that you can do. I have discharged those responsibilities to the best of my ability and I have made my position clear in regards to the contracts to the right offices. It is not a matter I would have wanted to take to the public for purposes of making sure that the government is functional,” he said.

“I have given advice on my boss on many issues including that particular issue. I have enumerated very well that it is the constitutional position that every contract is made public. I have given that advice to the president as is required of me but you know the buck stops with the boss”
DP Ruto continued by saying that in his opinion, all agreements Kenya makes with other countries have to be made public.

In a recent interview with Reuters, DP Ruto pledged that, should he win the presidency after the elections, he would expel Chinese people who were working illegally in the country and make the specifics of government contracts with China public.

“I will not tell you discussions held in the cabinet but it was available for me to take a position. I have taken many positions and at times they were not very popular and I have taken firm positions in the cabinet and the public and Kenyans know that I believe in whatever position I take. Every contract signed by the government of Kenya is a public document and should be available to the public,” he said.