Raila’s visit to Shakahola useless and political, says Ruto
President William Ruto has criticised the recent visit by the leader of the Azimio La Umoja One Kenya coalition to Shakahola where the rescue and exhumation exercise is taking place.
Addressing members of the Fourth Eastern Province on Sunday night, the President said he did not visit the site because he trusted the people on the ground to do their job.
When NTV’s Lofty Matambo asked the president why opposition leader Raila Odinga was barred from the site, he said his visit was pointless as he had nothing to do there.
“What was the point of the opposition leader going there? He is not a detective, he is not a police officer, he is not a doctor, he had not gone there to help exhume bodies, what was he going to do?”
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The President said the area had been declared a crime scene, with the public and journalists barred from entering, and that Mr Odinga’s visit was more political.
He added that once those tasked with the exercise are done, the place will be open to anyone who wants to visit.
“But we as Kenyans are used to politicising everything… if you don’t have anything to do there, why are you visiting?”
The President reassured Kenyans that the team headed by Interior Cabinet Secretary Professor Kithure Kindiki was fully in control of the situation.
President Ruto promised to visit Shakahola once the team has declared it open to all.
“Once all this is done and the place is declared no longer a crime scene, I will go to Malindi.”
When Mr Odinga was denied entry, he accused the government of hiding the truth from Kenyans, who he said deserved to know all the activities going on there.
Since Sunday, nine more people have been rescued in Shakahola, where more than 500 people are reported missing.
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