Raila tears into DP Ruto’s plump donations: ‘He is looting taxes!’

While campaigning in Embu on Sunday, Mr. Odinga questioned the source of DP Ruto’s donations and urged Kenyans to be wary of the funds, terming them money-laundering efforts on stolen public resources.

“Youth harambee, 5 million, women’s harambee, 5 million, school buses, 10 million , cars for bishops, 10 million. If you donate 100 million per month and your salary is a mere 2 million, where is the rest coming from? That is your money the guy has looted,” Odinga told supporters.

“Some of these people are slim when they get into power and within no time they are huge! They are parasites of this government. They are stacking public money and taking it to gatherings.”

Mr. Odinga who was flanked by his running mate in the August 9 race Martha Karua promised that if elected, their administration will see to it that all corrupt public officials are sent to jail.

““Corruption has become such a threat to public resources. Like president Kenyatta said, we are losing millions daily to corruption. You people can’t know, but I was once Prime Minister, I know how these things are,” he said.

“Karua and I have said that once we get into office this will become a thing of the past.”

DP Ruto’s contributions to churches, fundraisers and special interest groups have previously put him on the spot for allegations of being proceeds of corrupt dealings.

At one time in 2018, DP Ruto raised eyebrows after donating over Ksh.60 million in different harambees within six months, more than eight times his salary during that period.

The second-in-command has, however, vehemently defended his donations, saying it has taken the hand of God for him to achieve what he has and, therefore, he cannot slow down on his contributions to the church.

“We are looking forward to the day when we will not be taking thousands or millions but billions of shillings to church,” the DP said last year.

“We did not have godfathers, we only had God the Father. Please understand us and allow us to worship God the way we feel we should.”

His wife, Second Lady Rachel Ruto, has also been quoted dismissing the DP’s critics, telling them not to ​​bother themselves because of her husband’s donations. 

“He will give, give, give, give and give until the day he runs out of money,” Ms. Ruto said in March.