Kenya’s Deputy President, William Ruto was on Monday blocked from travelling to neighbouring Uganda.
According to reports from Kenya, Ruto who was supposed to be in Uganda for an unknown mission was stopped from boarding a flight and asked to seek clearance before being cleared.
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The flight manifest shows that Ruto was supposed to use a private chartered Cessna 560XL jet to fly to Uganda.
“We are surprised the Deputy President was denied clearance to go on a planned private visit to Uganda. It is our officers who always handle his travel and this time, they were told, that he must get clearance from Immigration to fly out. In all his travels, all these years, this has not happened,” said David Mugonyi, the communication secretary in the office of the Deputy President.
According to Kipchumba Murkomen, the Senator for Elgeyo-Marakwet County who is also a close ally to Ruto, the Deputy President doesn't need clearance to travel.
"The Deputy President has never ever required any clearance to travel out of the country.There is no law/regulation requiring him to seek clearance before travel for any public or private engagement.What happened today is a sheer act of impunity and gross violation of the Constitution,"Kipchumba tweeted.
In a three-word tweet, Ruto said he had left everything to God.
“Isorait....tumwachie MUNGU(Let leave it to God),” Ruto tweeted shortly after the blockade.
In July, Ruto was in Uganda where he officiated at a function to lay a foundation stone for the construction of a multi-billion Biological Drugs and mRNA vaccine manufacturing facility at Matuga in Wakiso District.
He hailed President Museveni for championing the East African Federation.
“You owe us a debt. Before you retire and if possible in the next two or three years, you owe us the fruition of the EA federation. We are here as leaders and citizens of East Africa to support you and other leaders in the region to eliminate barriers that impede trade, investment, labour and people working together,”Ruto said.
“We need the centre of gravity, we need not look further, you will work on that centre of gravity. People in this continent can trade better, do business better and connect better.”
These developments come at a time when Ruto, who in 2015 campaigned for President Museveni in Kapcholwa for the 2016 general elections, is said to be eyeing his boss, President Uhuru Kenya’s seat in next year’s general elections.
https://twitter.com/WilliamsRuto/status/1422222320047951883?s=20
