Karua Slams Ndii: No Truth to Ruto Money Claims!
The chairman of President William Ruto’s Council of Economic Advisors, economist David Ndii, was embroiled in an online feud with opposition co-principal and NARC Kenya party leader Martha Karua over funds allegedly received from Dr. Ruto before he became president on Sunday night.
It all began when Twitter user @McOsedoh joined an exchange between activist Boniface Mwangi and Dr. Ndii regarding President Ruto’s recent decision to lift the prohibition on logging, which Mwangi was criticizing.
“Can’t believe Bonny and Ndii were once in a group called Linda Katiba fighting fiercely for the rule of law and constitutionalism. How Ndii joined the mutilators of the CoK2010 is still unbelievable. Power corrupts,” the user wrote, referring to the Linda Katiba movement which fought against constitutional change through the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) in 2021.
Former president Uhuru Kenyatta and his adversary-turned-ally, Raila Odinga, pushed for changes to the constitution in 2010, while Kenyatta’s then-vice president, William Ruto, opposed the move.
In rebuttal, Ndii presented’revelations’ claiming he co-founded Linda Katiba with Karua and Ruto’s support.
He declared at the time that Karua could be the UDA party leader’s running mate in the 2022 General Election.
ALSO READ: Kindiki Imposes 12-Hour Curfew on Azimio Protestors
“Time for revelations. Linda Katiba was formed by myself and Martha with Ruto’s support. Martha was then a prospect for WSR’s running mate. Made full disclosure which is why Makau Mutua was attacking me. Even paid Boniface from WSR campaign money. Hypocrites the whole lot” wrote Ndii.
At the time, Makau Mutua was a law professor based in the United States. Upon his return to Kenya, he assumed the role of Spokesperson for Raila Odinga’s presidential campaign.
However, Karua dismissed the economist’s claims as lies, stating that he never disclosed to the Linda Katiba team that Ruto was financing the movement.
“@DavidNdii I am disappointed you have joined the ranks of unmitigated liars. Throughout our collaboration in Lindakatiba you never disclosed any funding from @WilliamsRuto or anybody else,” she wrote.
According to the NARC leader, the movement’s members covered all costs “until we secured funding from a philanthropist near the end.”
“If at all @WilliamsRuto funded you it was your private affair,” Karua told Ndii.
In addition, Karua denied knowledge of Mwangi’s employment with the then-vice president, stating, “I am unaware of @bonifacemwangi being paid with @WilliamsRuto funds. When @bonifacemwangi departed, we were unable to reimburse his out-of-pocket expenses, let alone compensate him.”
Karua asserts that Ndii only disclosed receiving funding from Ruto near the end of the battle against constitutional change, which saw a court case filed and the Supreme Court unanimously rule the BBI unconstitutional.
ALSO READ: Murkomen to Uhuru: Leave Raila, We’ll Handle Him Personally
“Towards the end, you did disclose to me that you had received financial support from @WilliamsRuto for your case against BBI. I was not a party to the said case and you were already in court when I joined Lindakatiba,” Karua said.
You eventually disclosed to me that @WilliamsRuto had provided financial support for your case against BBI. When I joined Lindakatiba, you were already in court and I was not a party to the case. You cannot coerce me into your financial transactions then…— Martha Karua SC (@MarthaKarua) July 16, 2023
She told Ndii not to accuse her of any financial affairs with Ruto, stating that her only collaboration with the former vice president was in opposition to constitutional change.
“You cannot drag me into your money deals then with @WilliamsRuto I agreed to collaboration with @WilliamsRuto limited to opposing the constitution. Later when @WilliamsRuto through his people and later himself I made it clear that I could not work with him,” she said.
Karua Slams Ndii: No Truth to Ruto Money Claims!
HEY READER. PLEASE SUPPORT THIS SITE BY CLICKING ADS. DON’T FORGET TO HIT THE NOTIFICATION BELL FOR MORE UPDATES AROUND THE GLOBE.