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Ruto: Don’t politicise Safaricom security contract

Speaking at the National Youth Convention in Nairobi on Friday, Ruto urged parliamentarians to support the project and asked leaders not to politicise the ongoing fight against terror/FILE

Speaking at the National Youth Convention in Nairobi on Friday, Ruto urged parliamentarians to support the project and asked leaders not to politicise the ongoing fight against terror/FILE

NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun 6 – Deputy President William Ruto has defended the security contract awarded to Safaricom, saying all required procedures were followed.

He expressed concern that the rising insecurity could derail the Jubilee government’s development agenda and said the Uhuru Kenyatta’s administration was committed to invest heavily in security to ensure a return to normalcy in regions hit by insecurity.

Speaking at the National Youth Convention in Nairobi on Friday, Ruto urged parliamentarians to support the project and asked leaders not to politicise the ongoing fight against terror.

“We are going to deal firmly with terrorism and other forms of crime without targeting any group of people or any faith or any region of Kenya. We are saying that those who are trying to politicize security matters must stop because we need a safe country so that all of us can learn,” The DP told participants at the convention.

He spoke a day after the National Assembly Committee on Administration and National Security directed Interior and National Government Coordination Cabinet Secretary Joseph ole Lenku to halt the Sh15 billion deal until their investigations are completed.

The House committee led by Tiaty MP Asman Kamama is questioning how the security contract approved by President Kenyatta was awarded to Safaricom without competitive bidding.

The parliamentary committee ordered suspension of the integrated security system contract until MPs approve the Sh15 billion project.

READ MPs say Parliament must approve Safaricom security deal

The House team held a closed-door meeting with Lenku, Interior Principal Secretary Mutea Iringo, Inspector-General of Police David Kimaiyo and other senior officers.

After the three-hour meeting, Kamama said members were not satisfied on a number of issues.

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“So far, they have tried to follow the procedure as provided for in the procurement law, but at this stage, we are still not satisfied to give the project a clean bill of health,” Kamama said. “We must subject the contract to due process.”

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