DP William Ruto now says he will not be intimidated, despite the recent intrigues in which he was forced to cancel his Ugandan trip.
In an interview with Inooro FM on Wednesday, the Deputy President stated that the meeting with President Yoweri Museveni went ahead as planned despite his absence.
“Sitabishana kuhusu kusitishwa kwa safari yangu nchini Uganda, Hata licha ya safari yangu kusitishwa bado mkutano uliokuwa umepangwa uliendelea,” the DP said on Wednesday.
He also defended the presence of a Turkish national Harun Aydin- a controversial businessman – whose presence is said to have spooked government officials.
According to a flight manifest made public on Tuesday, DP Ruto would be accompanied by Aydin, Eric Ruto, David Langat, Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro, Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi, Kinango MP Benjamin Tayari, and Elijah Rono.
The DP now claims that Mr Aydin is a well-known businessman, appearing to downplay the controversy that surrounded the Turkish’s presence as the only foreigner on the foreign trip.
At the same time, the Deputy President insisted that he is under no obligation to disclose details of his private trips to anyone.
Ruto was to travel with three ally MPs: Ndindi Nyoro of Kiharu, Oscar Sudi of Kapseret, and Nenjamin Tayari of Kinango.
The three lawmakers were also reportedly held at Wilson Airport for more than three hours before being cleared, leaving the DP behind.
“Sisi tuko hapa Kampala tumefika tulikuwa tukuje na DP kutembelea Yoweri Museveni, tulifika airport saa saba tukingojea DP alipofika alianza kuambiwa kuana orders from above hawezi ruhusiwa kutoka nje ya nchi,” Ndindi Nyoro said
When the three contacted the parliament about their clearance, they were told they didn’t need one, especially for private travel.
The Kiharu MP claims that they contacted every government authority who denied issuing the orders, sending them on a round trip with no end in sight.