President Ruto blames Uhuru for World Bank's alarm on graft

A World Bank report ranked Kenya among the most corrupt countries and the president is now shifting the blame to previous governments, citing the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) project as an example of past corruption.

Speaking in Narok County at St. Mary's church on Sunday, Ruto dismissed attempts to link him to the project, suggesting that some of his critics could have personal interests in the money involved.

"The report also points to challenges surrounding the SGR in the past. Those attempting to blame me should understand that I was not the one who constructed the SGR. There are many things being said, and perhaps some of those making the accusations have interests linked to the money from the SGR," he said.

The Head of State said his administration has pushed for the report to be made public to allow Kenyans to understand the country's economic challenges.

He, however, accused his critics of selectively highlighting parts of the report to draw their own conclusions.

"I want to make it clear that my government called for an open report so that Kenyans could understand what is happening. The report contains several issues, but some people are picking out just one page and drawing conclusions from it," Ruto noted.

The president also condemned the clashes that erupted between supporters of two local leaders during a Maasai cultural celebration at the Maasai Mara in Narok County.

Ruto urged political leaders to keep their differences from sparking confrontations among citizens, insisting that electoral contests should be decided by voters.

“I want to urge our brothers and sisters not to turn political differences into confrontations among citizens. Patrick and Gabriel are both members of UDA. The governor's seat cannot be decided by one person. Every seat will be decided by the voters. The same applies to the presidency," he noted.

Speaking at the same event, Defence Cabinet Secretary Soipan Tuya echoed the call for unity, warning against leaders who seek to divide the people along ethnic lines.

“When we see citizens being led in the wrong direction, we must speak the truth. One way of doing this is to make it clear that we will not accept leaders who promote division along ethnic lines," she noted.

Other leaders who accompanied the president also praised his administration, urging kenyans to support his leadership.

They cited development in different parts of the country as a reason to back his bid for a second term.