Mandera Senator Ali Roba has responded to remarks by former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, who recently claimed that President William Ruto held secret meetings during his tour of Mandera County.
Speaking during a public event in the United States, Gachagua alleged that the President met unidentified individuals in what he described as closed-door engagements, and further suggested that the government had removed security vetting for residents in Northern Kenya.
He also linked the alleged meeting to Al-Shabaab sympathisers.
In a statement, Roba said he was present throughout the President’s visit to Mandera and maintained that all meetings were conducted in the open and involved only officially recognised leaders and the public.
“As a leader who personally accompanied H.E. President William Ruto from the moment he landed in Mandera to the moment he departed, I can confirm that the President’s engagements were transparent and within the public domain,” said Roba.
He added that the itinerary was made public ahead of time and that there were no private or unscheduled meetings.
Roba also addressed the comments on security vetting, saying the President had reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ending what he termed as discriminatory practices that have historically affected residents of border regions.
“What the President said clearly in Mandera is that the excessive vetting processes targeting communities in Northern Kenya should be reviewed, and that all Kenyans should be subjected to a uniform and constitutional standard,” he noted.
He urged public figures to be cautious when commenting on national security matters and added that any claims should be supported by facts.
“The matter falls within the scope of our national investigative institutions, and they are best placed to determine the veracity of any such claims,” he said.
