We Will Deliver The DCI, KRA, EACC And Judiciary From State Capture: Ruto

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Deputy President William Ruto and United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party leader has vowed to enact a number of reforms in different government agencies if elected President in the August Elections.

DP Ruto who spoke on Tuesday during the UDA National Delegates Conference (NDC) where he received a nod to be the party’s flag bearer, said the move will be aimed at delivering the state agencies including the judiciary and the security sector from what he termed “state capture”

The Deputy President singled out the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), and the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) as some of the agencies which will be subjected to a raft of reforms to ensure their independence while discharging their mandate.

He claimed that the state agencies were being misused in harassing and persecuting political opponents and Kenyans hence a need for “deliverance.”

“They have weaponized state institutions, DCI, KRA and the EACC to run political errands. To dismantle businesses that belong to people who do not worship them, and I want to tell them, this country will change,” Ruto said.

He added “On our first day, we will free the DCI, we will free the KRA from state capture.”

The UDA presidential candidate further said that his administration will professionalize the DCI’s office and the KRA for them to discharge their constitutional and legal duty.

He stated that he will appoint an accounting officer for the Inspector General and the DCI to give them financial independence while conducting their duties.

He further said that they will digitize the KRA to ensure they collect all taxes professionally.

“The 60 per cent of the taxes that are not collected as VAT, we will make sure that we create a mechanism, the digital platform so that we can collect taxes and we don’t have to fight Kenyan enterprises and destroy peoples’ businesses,” Ruto said in reference to the Keroche Breweries which has been subject of KRA investigations.

In regards to the Judiciary independence, DP Ruto said that his government will operationalize the Judiciary fund to give them financial independence when delivering on their responsibility without challenges due to inadequate resources

He claimed that there has been a deliberate move to block the operationalization of Judiciary fund despite being in the country’s laws for the last 10 years.

“We want a judiciary that will stand tall and make sure that they discharge their responsibility withoutencumbrances of matters to do with financial dependance on other arms of government. We want a Judiciary that will be truly independent that does not receive telephone calls from the executive to write judgements,” he said.

Ruto’s sentiments come at a time when a section of leaders, businessmen and Kenyans have cried foul over what they have termed being targeted by state agencies in attempts to force them into submission.