Turkish businessman Harun Aydin-who has links to Deputy President William Ruto- was detained by the police shortly after arriving at the Wilson Airport on Saturday from a recent trip to Uganda that is said to have spooked government officials.
No information about the 55-year-old’s detention was released to the public, although the Turk was at the heart of Deputy President William Ruto’s recent Ugandan trip drama.
He was among five others who were to accompany the DP to Uganda on a private visit to President Yoweri Museveni.
The others were; MPs Ndindi Nyoro (Kiharu), Oscar Sudi (Kapsaret), Benjamin Tayari (Kinango), Mombasa-based businessman David Lang’at, Elijah Rono, and Eric Ruto.
His Lawyer Ahmednasir Abdullahi took to Twitter on Saturday, claiming that he had been denied access to his client who is currently detained by the Kenya Anti-Terrorism Police Unit (ATPU)
“Apparently, the right to counsel doesn’t apply to Turkish national Mr. Harun Aydin arrested by the Kenyan police,” the lawyer said, “ I have been denied access to see him allegedly on ‘orders from above.”
Mr. Ahmednasir was accompanied to the ATPU Nairobi headquarters by lawyer Cliff Ombeta, Kapreset MP Oscar Sudi, and the Turkish deputy ambassador to Kenya.
DP Ruto defended Mr. Aydin in an interview with Inooro TV on Tuesday, hailing him as a savvy businessman.
“Don’t listen to those saying he is a terrorist. He is a businessman who has invested heavily in our country. The Turkish embassy confirmed he is genuine and has no criminal record,” he said.
The Turk has been in the country since 2018 and has interests in trade and consulting.
No one knows what role he was playing in Ruto’s trip to Uganda, but what is known is that he accompanied DP Ruto’s allies to the Ugandan trip after the DP was forced to cancel the itinerary.
The DP has turned away after a five-hour delay at the Wilson Airport apparently on a clearance hitch.
Five days later, the dust is yet to settle with the Uganda government on Thursday afternoon responding via social media to statements made by members of parliament regarding the canceled trip’s agenda.
