Mathira Member of Parliament Rigathi Gachagua has defended Deputy President William Ruto over allegations of land grabbing.
Speaking on KTN News, on Tuesday, March 22, the outspoken lawmaker said the deputy president genuinely acquired all parcels of land he owns in Kenya.
The controversial legislature wondered why the government finds it easy to question how William Ruto acquired the land on which Weston Hotel sits while ignoring other land grabbing cases across the country.
“If you have time to question 1.7 acres (on which Weston Hotel, owned by Ruto is built on), why don’t you take time to question the grabbing of thousands of acres belonging to the Mau Mau?” he posed.
Gachagua challenged the government to look into all land grabbing cases and not just dwell on the Weston Hotel land.
“Let us not use the issue of corruption to demonize people without evidence. If we are talking about land grabbing, then let’s do it properly. Let us go back and find out why one family owns the land the size of Nyanza province,” Gachagua stated in an indirect reference to the huge tracks of land owned by President Uhuru Kenyatta’s family.
The ownership of the Weston land that the Mathira MP was alluding to is currently at the center of a court battle between DP Ruto and the National Land Commission.
This is not the first time that Gachagua is defending DP Ruto in matters do with land ownership.
Gachagua threatens to exposes Kenyatta land dealings
Last year, the MP who is a close ally of DP Ruto threatened to expose the Kenyatta family for their illegal land dealings days after Interior CS made public some of the property owned by Deputy President William Ruto.
During a meeting with grassroots leaders from Nakuru held at Ruto’s home, Gachagua listed some of the properties he suggests belong to the Kenyatta’s even though he did not provide evidence of his allegations.
“He (Interior CS Fred Matiang’i) has opened the chapter. We will start talking about land issues in this country. Where did Mau Mau land go to? The Mau Mau land in Nakuru, who is the owner, and how many GSU officers are there?
“The Mau Mau land in Kahawa, who owns it? and how many General Service Unit officers are there? We will start talking, it is a good topic,” Gachagua said in an apparent reference to President Uhuru Kenyatta’s vast land ownership.