Is Ruto running broke?
By Justus
Karanja
Is Deputy
President William Ruto running broke even before the whistle is blown for the
start of the presidential campaigns?
That is
the question in the minds of his supporters after he temporarily
suspended his contributions to churches until after the August 9 General Election.
Ruto made
the announcement two days after jetting back from Dubai where, sources say he had
gone to raise money for his campaigns.
There are
reports the Deputy President flew to Milan, Italy to meet some financiers but
things did not work out as planned.
On Sunday, Ruto said his
decision to suspend donations to churches was influenced by the Elections Act
which bars politicians from contributing to fundraising activities after the
gazettement of the election date.
The Elections Act 2011
prohibits anyone aspiring for political office from participating in a
fundraising eight months before the election. This applies to all levels of
office from the president, governor, senator, MP, women representative to the
MCA seat.
Section 26 of the Elections Act
provides that a person may be disqualified if he or she directly or indirectly
participates in any manner in public fundraising or Harambee within eight
months to a general election or during an election period.
Speaking at a church service in
Emuhaya, Vihiga county, the DP said he has temporarily halted the programme
until the end of the August 9, elections.
"I have heard about your
plan for the construction of your church. I know you guys when you see me you
remember that I am a man who builds churches.
"Today we will not be
contributing to the church building because the elections law does not allow
it. But once the exercise is over, I commit myself that we will come back and
ensure the completion of the church is done," he said.
In December last
year, Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission chair Wafula
Chebukati warned that any aspirant who violates the directive risk being
disqualified.
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