President William Ruto is once again facing scrutiny after hosting individuals with questionable pasts at State House. Recently, the President met with controversial figures like former U.S. Congressman Mark Daley and South Sudanese politician Albino Mathom Mabuog. Just weeks later, he welcomed Zimbabwean businessman Wicknell Chivayo, raising concerns about his commitment to fighting corruption in Kenya.
Chivayo, known for his controversial business dealings, posted about the meeting on social media. He shared that, while on his way to Tanzania for the 2025 Energy Summit, he took the opportunity to meet with President Ruto. In his post, Chivayo praised Ruto for his leadership and commitment to renewable energy, which he said reflects Africa’s ambition to drive global energy transformation.
This marks the third meeting between Ruto and Chivayo, a businessman who has faced investigations in both Zimbabwe and South Africa over allegations of corruption. This meeting follows another high-profile gathering between Ruto and Mark Daley, who was convicted in 2012 in the U.S. for obstructing justice. These associations have sparked doubts about Ruto’s sincerity in tackling corruption.
Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, who has openly criticized Ruto, has added his voice to the chorus questioning the President’s anti-corruption efforts.
Gachagua, who was recently accused by Ruto of corruption and incompetence, now accuses the President of perpetuating corrupt practices. He pointed out that several government projects, initially believed to be for public benefit, appear to be business ventures disguised as development initiatives.
Gachagua also criticized Ruto for what he called a failure to address organized crime and corruption, ranking him as the second most corrupt leader globally. When Ruto took office over two years ago, he promised to form a commission to investigate state capture and corruption within his first month. However, to date, no such commission has been established.
Further raising concerns is the withdrawal of high-profile corruption cases by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions. Several influential figures, including Gachagua, former Cabinet Secretaries Mithika Linturi and Aisha Jumwa, as well as former Governor Mike Sonko, have seen their cases dismissed.
Others, like former Kenya Power MD Ben Chumo and ex-Kenya Pipeline CEO Joe Sang, have also had their cases withdrawn, fueling fears that the fight against corruption is being undermined.
By Nairobi