Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has claimed that the Kenya Kwanza government asked for bribes to allow British Army Training Unit Kenya (Batuk) to operate.
The United Kingdom has relocated the planned military training exercise from Kenya after the licences required were not approved.
Through the ministry of defence the United Kingdom said the exercise known as ‘Haraka Storm’ scheduled to run between September-November will take place in the neighboring country.
The relocation follows months of tension over the proposed defence cooperation agreement which governs the operation of Batuk. MPs have delayed the ratification of the agreement over concerns that British soldiers accused of offences while on duty be tried in Kenya instead of UK following the the 2012 unresolved murder of Agnes Wanjiru whose body was found in Septic Tank near British Military base.
However Gachagua said the actual reason the United Kingdom took the training from Kenya is that they were asked from a Sh 3 billion bribe by the current Kenya government.
Gachagua spoke at Riiji Catholic Church in Central Imenti on Sunday where he attended a fundraiser.
He said British Army Training Unit Kenya was benefiting the country economically and was helping to counter terrorism as they held joint training with their Kenyan counterpart to deal with terror.
“The British Military base had employed over 500 Kenyans directly and indirectly through local procurement,hospitality transport,”Gachagua said.
He said if the military base is relocated Nanyuki town economy will be greatly affected
The Former Deputy President said the committee of Parliament for defence and foreign relation led by chairman Nixon Koech asked for bribes amounting to Sh.3 billion to renew the contract.
“The were to take Sh.2 billion to President William Ruto which he would use to get votes in the next year’s polls but the British refused to give the bribe and they relocated to the nearby country,”Gachagua claimed.
He said due to the relocation Nanyuki town is on the verge of collapsing economically.
Gachagua said that Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has been politicking instead of working for Kenyans.
His predecessor like John Michuki and Fred Matiangi spoke less but did more.
“Instead of working for Kenyans Murkomen has been busy mobilising goons who are armed carry weapons terrorising Kenyans,” Gachagua said.
“Foreigners are asking are we safe in this country and I want to tell them they are not because there are too many goons almost everywhere,” Gachagua said.
Gachagua said the country is not safe for tourists and they do not want tourists to be killed like the way July Ward was killed in 1988 while on Safari in Masai Mara.
“It’s better they stay away we sort out the issues instead of a tourist being killed here,” he said.
Gachagua said that up to now no person has been arrested and he challenged Murkomen to issue a statement to issue a statement to international community confirming there will be no goons allowed to operate in this country.
He said Murkomen gave diplomatic to international war criminals from Sudan who have been barred from visiting any country in the world and they have not been revoked.
Gachagua was accompanied by Nyandarua Senator John Methu recently elected Ol Kalou MP Kamau Ngotho, Former Agriculture CS Mithika Linturi, Meru senatorial aspirant Mugambi Imanyara among others.
