DP Ruto disputes Echesa account of Harambee House Annex visit

Deputy President William Ruto has pointed an accusing finger at Rashid Echesa for lying about an appointment to meet him on the day the former Sports Cabinet Secretary reportedly visited his Harambee House Annex office in a fake military equipment deal.

DP Ruto, in a statement to the press through his Communication Secretary David Mugonyi on Monday, reiterated his earlier admission that Echesa and two men indeed visited his office on Thursday February 13, 2020 between 9:39am and 10:02am – a total of 23 minutes.

Echesa reportedly informed security officers manning the reception that he had an appointment with Dr. Ruto – something the DP, however, vehemently denies – and was ushered to the public waiting room.

“The Deputy President was not at the Office at the time as he was working from his Karen Office before he left to attend a funeral in Murang’a County that morning. On checking his diary there was no such an appointment,” read the statement by Mr. Mugonyi.

“On the material day, His Excellency the Deputy President was not scheduled to work from Harambee House Annex and did not visit the premises at any point. The Deputy President was not scheduled to meet with the former Cabinet Secretary. Neither did Echesa have any appointment.”

According to Mr. Mugonyi, Echesa and his team did not meet any officer who works directly under DP Ruto since his Personal Assistant Farouk Kibet and Chief of Staff Ken Osinde were not in the office at the time either.

Further, Mr. Mugonyi added, Echesa and his entourage did not access any other office other than the public waiting room and left as soon as they were informed that the DP was not coming in on that material day.

“The Office of the Deputy President does not procure goods and services for any state department or entities; neither does it provide legal, technical or facilitative services for signing agreements, let alone in its public waiting room,” added the statement.

“The DCI has written to Harambee House Annex requesting for access and review of the CCTV coverage, which request was granted and officers facilitated the review of entire footage and interview of security personnel who were on duty.”

Mr. Mugonyi further stated: “The Deputy President considers this a very serious matter involving a government office and being an issue that has recurred in many such offices wants investigations expedited devoid of political and media propaganda.”

Echesa and three others – Daniel Otieno Omondi alias General Juma, Clifford Okoth Onyango alias Paul, and Kennedy Oyoo Mboya – were on Monday charged and freed on a Ksh.3 million bond with a surety of a similar amount or a Ksh.1 million cash bail each after denying fraud charges in a Ksh.39 billion military arms deal.