Matatizo Tumeyazoea: Ruto Breaks Silence on Blocked Uganda Trip

Deputy President William Ruto has broken his silence on his recently blocked Ugandan trip, noting that the saga was meant to demean and portray him as a man with no meaning.

Speaking during an interview on Wednesday morning, Ruto noted that the airport issue is part of the many setbacks and attacks he and his allies have faced in the second phase of the Jubilee administration.

He cited his allies being kicked out of committees, others being arrested and him being ‘snubbed’ by the government as some of the challenges his team has gone through since the 2017 election.

“Kuna wimbo unasema ‘matatizo tumeyazoea’... Tumepata matatizo... Wabunge wengi wamefurushwa kutoka kamati za bunge. Mimi mwenyewe nimewekwa pembeni. So, yale yalifanyika ni kujaribu kunidunisha, nionekane sina maana…Ni kujaribu uleta ushindani nani mkubwa nani mdogo.

"Nimekuwa DP kwa miaka 9, na nimetembea nchi nyingi kwa ziara rasmi na za kibinafsi. Hakuna wakati hata mmoja nimewahi ambiwa nahitaji kibali kutoka mahali popote. So, ni sheria gani hii ambayo imeanza sasa? Sikuwa naenda kwa mambo ya Serikali, ni mambo yangu kibinafsi..Safari yenyewe nilivunja, yale yalikuwa yafanyike kule Uganda yaliendelea bila mimi kuwepo, na maisha inasonga mbele,” he said.

The DP and his delegation were meant to travel to Uganda on Monday afternoon, but immigration officials blocked Ruto from leaving the country arguing that he had not been cleared by the President’s office.

Reports claim that protocol was not followed in planning the visit and that neither Kenya’s High Commission in Uganda nor the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had been informed.

Meanwhile, the office of the DP has protested the move to block Ruto from leaving the country, noting that it is aimed at frustrating the second in command.

“We are surprised the Deputy President was denied clearance to go on a planned visit to Uganda. It’s our officers who always handle his travel and this time we were told he must get clearance from immigration to fly out. In all his travels these years, this has never happened,” the DP’s communication Secretary David Mugonyi said.