MATIANG’I AMENYANA NA WILLIAM RUTO

Interior CS Fred Matiang’i has dismissed Deputy President William Ruto’s claim that the government apologised for arresting Turkish businessman Harun Aydin.

On August 9, Ruto said he had talked and apologised to deported Turkish businessman on behalf of the government.

Ruto said the series of events leading to his deportation were a shame and that political pettiness is dangerous, and will destroy the economy.

But speaking in Mombasa before National security committee MPs on Friday, Matiang’i said Kenya will not, cannot and did not apologise.

“We have not apologised. Why would we apologise for doing what we are supposed to do?” Matiang’i posed.

“We are a government and a country run by law and order. We are members of so many security agencies. There is a way governments work with each other.”

Matiang’i said the Kenyan government is in constant communication with the Turkish government.

“… there was no need to apologise. We would apologise if there was a challenge. We haven’t apologised. He was a criminal some sort of strange guy masquerading as an investor,” he said.

“I would not apologise for anyone. Kenya will not and cannot apologise.”

The CS further said that Aydin filled an online form that he was an investor.

“…but there is no investment anywhere. The contract he brought looked like from the Ministry of Energy but we have asked our colleagues to check if its fake or not,” he said.

“Aydin’s documents show he was working in the energy sector but his contract was a dummy. He got a work permit on 25th June, 2021. Security agencies flagged Aydin for his regional travels & was associated with people dealing in money laundering.”

Matiang’i said Aydin had been flagged by an intelligence organization in a neighboring country.

“…in that country one of the people he was dealing with was arrested in a different country for trying to bribe a minister and a number of other things,” he said.

Earlier, Matiang’i defended Aydin’s arrest and deportation.

“Our security agents flagged him for traveling around the region, they noticed that he was keeping company of people with reports of money laundering,” he said.

Aydin, who was part of the team in DP William Ruto’s failed trip to Uganda last Monday, was arrested on Saturday by officers from the Anti-Terrorism Police Unit and detained for questioning.

Reports have linked Aydin to terrorism activities, but the DP defended him as a polished investor whom he helped secure Sh15 billion from Equity Bank to set up a business in Uganda.

Last week, Ruto said that Aydin is a victim of top-down arrogance.

Ruto said it was a tragedy of political pettiness.

“Turkish investor, Aydin Harun, is a victim of top-down arrogance bred by patronage and cartels that criminalise enterprise,” he said.

“Importers’ goods declared contraband, Africa spirits closed, Keroche harassed, now investor with valid papers labelled terrorist. Tragedy of political pettiness.”

Aydin was detained by immigration officials on landing in Nairobi from Uganda where he had been since August 2.

Officials said they wanted to question him in regard to his immigration status, work permit and the business he is involved in the region.

By The Star Kenya