Deputy President William Ruto on Wednesday escalated his meetings with grassroots networks as his right-hand man pressured Jubilee to release its financials.
Jubilee Party deputy secretary general Caleb Kositany insisted that his boss Raphael Tuju should provide certified reports on all financial expenditure.
Tuju last week told Kositany that all the information he sought should be accessible to him by virtue of his position. But on Wednesday, Kositany said it is only Tuju who can issue such documents and reports.
“I remind you that the office of the secretary general is the custodian of the documentation, party information and reports,” Kositany said in a letter to Tuju.
“I thus still demand the same be availed soonest for this information is not for my personal consumption. That is why I am demanding the same publicly.”
On July 14, Kositany asked for certified bank statements of the party spanning four years.
The Soy MP has claimed that Jubilee withdrew Sh183 million in six months in 2018 to pay rent for the eight-storey party headquarters yet it does not occupy all floors.
He also wants lease or tenancy agreement for the premises in Pangani and a schedule of all paid rent for 2016-2017, 2017-2018, 2018-2019 and 2019-2020 financial years.
Kositany says Jubilee county offices are not functional, yet in the party’s financial records they are allocated millions of shillings for rent. He wants a schedule of all county offices paid for by the party for the last four financial years, complete with lease agreements.
Kositany told Tuju off over the use of official party stationery. He is an official and is entitled to use them to communicate party matters, Kositany said.
The DP hosted delegations from Mt Kenya, Nairobi and Nyanza regions in his Karen residence, a day after meeting several ‘hustlers’ from Nyeri and Murang’a counties.
Ruto is wooing ordinary Kenyans to own his 2022 presidential campaigns, unlike the previous campaigns where it has been led by key point men.
On Tuesday, a family from Nyeri brought cassava to Ruto’s home. He also met the children of the late Ann Wangui, a supporter and key 2017 grassroots mobiliser.
“Glad I met her friends and family today to assure them that we will walk together in this journey of life, and assured them that it was possible to achieve our dreams, our background and prevailing circumstances notwithstanding,” the DP said after the meeting.
Ruto pledged that he will support Wangui’s children through school.
The DP later met Mary Wambui and her daughter Abilasha. The young girl once attempted to recite a poem to Ruto in Kiambu but failed.
Last year, Ruto says, Abilasha and her mother, a taxi driver in Mombasa county, made their way to Kandara constituency where she was allowed to recite her poem.
“Determined and undeterred they made another shot, travelling eight hours from Mombasa. Mother and daughter arrived in Kandara, Muranga County, waited for six hours while negotiating the programme to allow little Muthoni to recite her piece to me,” Ruto said.
He added, “Immediately after the recital, she put her case to me about her aspirations and goals and the impediment on her way. Abilasha and her mother, Mary, did not allow circumstances to determine their future. They believed in themselves. Determined and resilient.”
Ruto gave Muthoni a new car for her taxi business and promised to support Abilasha in her education.