COULD THIS BE THE END OF RUTO?

21st October 2010

By Masero Isaiah Mumbo-Chief Reporter

President Mwai kibaki and Prime Minister Raila odinga on Tuesday bowed to pressure and suspended Higher Education minister William Ruto over a pending criminal case against him. Hon. Ruto had earlier on moved to a constitutional court to challenge his prosecution over a land deal on which the court ruled that he should stand in a 272 million fraud case against him.
Hon. Ruto now faces an uphill task of revamping himself before the next general elections which will be held in two years time. The Eldoret North MP, who has shown interest in the top post, now has his presidential ambitions hanging in the balance. The youthful politician, whose prospects for 2012 are now dependent on winning the case, knows very well that a bleak future awaits him if he loses.
Mr. Ruto, who barely six days ago swore not to resign from the cabinet over the case, becomes the fifth minister to fall by the wayside over graft allegations during President Kibaki’s tenure. Others include Dr. Chris Murungaru, Mr. Kiraitu Murungi and Mr. David Mwiraria who were the first to be asked to step aside from internal security, justice and constitutional affairs and finance ministries respectively when the Anglo-leasing scandal was reported in 2004.
Then came the ironic twist of events in 2008 when Mr. Amos kimunya who had succeeded Mr. Mwiraria at the treasury building was linked to the irregular sale of Grand Regency Hotel in Nairobi. Mr. Kimunya was humiliated by members of parliament with a successful censure motion by Hon. Dr. Bonny Khalwale with his famous speech, “to end impunity in this country…………Kimunya must go.” Mr. Kimunya later resigned but was later reappointed to the cabinet as trade minister a position that he held till recently when he was moved to the Transport docket.
Meanwhile foreign affairs minister Moses Wetangula, faces another probe over the loss of Kshs. 1.1 billion in a Japan embassy deal. Also in the list of shame is industrialization minister Hon. Henry Kosgey over his appointment of Mr. Kipketer Koskei as the managing director of the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS). Mr. Kosgei who has skipped meeting with the house team probing his selection of the KEBs Boss might be forced to step aside if the house implements the committee’s report even as his own assistant minister distanced himself from the appointment.