Raila returns as President Ruto claims his planned rallies financed by cartels

President William Ruto claims says cartels are bankrolling Azimio La Umoja's planned protests against his administration.

Speaking during an inter-denominational thanksgiving service at Kerugoya Stadium in Kirinyaga County on Sunday, January 23, President Ruto alleged that the planned opposition's demonstrations are financed by cartels opposed to reforms in the coffee, tea and milk sectors.

Nonetheless, Ruto says that Azimio leader Raila Odinga will not succeed in sabotaging his administration the way he did with former President Uhuru Kenyatta's second term in office.

“The middlemen in the tea, coffee and milk sectors have financed the protests because we have vowed to eradicate cartels. They can finance whatever they want to finance but our farmers will no longer be slaves of brokers and cartels,” Ruto said.

He added: “They cannot hold this country hostage again. Over the years, he [Raila] has held protests and benefited. You want to plan protests for me? Go ahead, but I will not dwell on settling issues of one person or a few individuals.”

Ruto reiterated that Kenyans should not be worried at all, because he will not allow a few people "to go to a corner to plan on how to threaten us through protests to make us deviate from addressing the needs of Kenyans."

"They want us to cater for their interests but we are used to them. We are telling them that the end has come. Be satisfied with what you previously earned from threats before and allow us to serve Kenyans."

Raila's return

Raila jets back in the country from South Africa today (Monday, January 23) and is expected to hold a series of rallies along Jogoo Road, before the activities culminate into a 'People's Baraza' at the Kamukunji Grounds in Nairobi.