Storm after bus Ruto donated to school is returned to dealer

Controversy has emerged over a bus that was donated by Deputy President William Ruto to a secondary school in Tigania West in Meru County after it was taken back to the dealer.

A group of residents claim the handover of the vehicle to Kianjai Secondary School 10 days ago was a political gimmick.

But area MP John Mutunga insists that the school bus was delivered before works were completed so that Dr Ruto could inaugurate it during his three-day tour of Meru County and it would be returned.

Addressing residents at Rwongo Rwa Nyaki where he had attended a dowry ceremony, Dr Mutunga said the bus was ordered from General Motors but work had not been completed due to Covid-19 pandemic.

It was then agreed that the bus be presented as it was for a ceremonial handover since the DP’s visit to the school had been planned six months ago.

Dr Mutunga said the DP had contributed Sh3.5 million towards the purchase of the bus to honour a promise he made to the students when they entertained him at Urru Stadium in 2019.

“General Motors urged us to hold a ceremonial handover and then (have) it be completed later. I cannot bring the DP from Nairobi for a fake ceremony yet we have been planning it for six months,” he retorted.

The vehicle’s return to Nairobi was revealed by a group by the name "Tigania Eye" which claimed that the move was because the payment by the local National Government-Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF) had not been finalised.

They alleged that the bus, which was presented, belonged to another school and the move was made to buy time until NG-CDF had the money to pay.

Political mileage

“It was a fraud, only done for political mileage… We are giving an ultimatum of up to Saturday (March) 13th to ensure that Kianjai Girls Secondary has a bus as promised earlier,” said Ben Kiriinya who read the statement on behalf of the lobby.

During the launch at Kianjai market, a jovial Dr Ruto freely mingled with members of the public before giving students and staff a short ride.

However, Dr Mutunga says the allegations are political and promised that the bus would be delivered next Wednesday after completion of the works and registration with the National Transport and Safety Authority and other relevant authorities.

“There are people being used to fight me politically. They are insulting me by spreading falsehoods but the person they are insulting more is Dr Ruto because they are saying that he has not been honouring his pledges,” the MP said.

“Can someone who gave us Sh3.5million for free, do such a thing? When the bus arrives, I will fuel it so that it moves around the entire constituency ferrying students and any naysayers,” promised Dr Mutunga.