Interior and Coordination Principal Secretary Karanja Kibicho has refuted claims that the ministry is determined to frustrate Deputy President William Ruto by curtailing his security details.
On Thursday, Dr Ruto visited Nyeri but could not find top officials from presidency in his function, an incident that has raised eyebrows from among politicians and members of the public.
But on Saturday, Kibicho said the protocol hitch should be blamed on the DP's office, adding that the ministry was not furnished with details of the DP's itinerary to Nyeri.
“There is no way anyone can downgrade the security of the Deputy President. It is not possible,” Mr Kibicho said in a phone interview with the Saturday Nation.
According to him, the County Commissioner and his team along with the police received a communication late. Some of them were reportedly actively engaged in the ongoing registration of Huduma Namba thus the absence.
This further stretched the number of men available to respond to the call. “Officers had been deployed to cover the Huduma Namba registration, and when they learnt of his (Deputy President’s) arrival, they rushed to the scene but got there when he had already left. It was a brief function,” he explained.
A section of politicians allied to DP Ruto have accused Dr Fred Matiang'i and Kibicho of using their powers to frustrate Ruto's movements. They also accused them of withdrawing their security details.
But Kibicho insists that restructuring of security details affected all senior government officials including him, adding that it's part of improving efficiency in security department in the country.
No single official from presidency and Police department attended Ruto's Tetu function. Usually, County Commissioner and his security team are tasked to usher on the president, DP and top government officials whenever they visit.