Deputy President William Ruto has denied claims that his Uganda trip involved a rogue Turkish businessman.
This is after the mystery of the Turkish businessman Aydin Harun who was part of Ruto’s blocked entourage to Uganda deepened over reports of conflicting message from the Turkish Embassy in Nairobi and his alleged links to terror-related activities in the past.
Speaking during an interview at a local radio station, said that the Turkish embassy issued a statement confirming that the individual was an investor who had legal permit to work in Kenya.
“Now will I be announcing the whole of Kenya going to do my own business? The Turkish businessman, the Turkish embassy itself has issued a statement saying he is a recognized businessman and has a work permit… There are those who want to destroy saying he is a terrorist,” he said.
Ruto said it was regrettable that the presence of investors could be politicized to a point of calling them terrorists.
He added that he has the freedom to move in East Africa, saying it defeats logic why he was being detained yet there are policies allowing free movement of people in the region.
He also questioned why he was blocked from visiting Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni citing that there was no law requiring him to seek permission to visit with any leader, more so on private business.
Ruto termed the move as a continuation of attempts by his political enemies to portray him as disrespectful to Kenyatta, an allegation he dismissed.
“For four years, people have been saying things to me… Oh I don’t know Ruto is competing with the President, I don’t know he has disrespected the President… All these things I have denied. Even that to stop Wilson is to put me in a position to argue with them. I have left them to God,” he said.
He stated that he will continue to discuss the bottom-up economic model in the same way that the other parties have lobbied for constitutional amendments through the BBI.
“I will not stop talking about the bottom-up economic model, I know it is a tough conversation to have, it is difficult but necessary, I know our friends at NASA do not understand it, but we will not stop,” Ruto said.