The opposition co-principal and NARC Kenya party leader Martha Karua and economist David Ndii, who serves as the chair of President William Ruto's Council of Economic Advisors, engaged in an online spat Sunday night over money that Dr Ruto is said to have received before he was elected president.
The conversation started when activist Boniface Mwangi was criticizing President Ruto's recent decision to lift the prohibition on logging when Twitter user @McOsedoh chimed in.
I can't believe Bonny and Ndii formerly belonged to a group named Linda Katiba that fought vehemently for constitutionalism and the rule of law. It's still astonishing how Ndii joined the CoK2010 mutilators. About the Linda Katiba movement, which battled against constitutional amendment through the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) in 2021, the user remarked, "Power corrupts.
For whatever its worth, let me remind the Iron Lady that in run up to 2017, I approached her to join what became NASA and she said she couldnt work with Raila, citing 2007, same reasons as what they are doing together today. Moral pedestal is never a safe political perch. https://t.co/PHiTRcBRSl
— David Ndii (@DavidNdii) July 17, 2023Did you read this?
While Kenyatta's then deputy, William Ruto, initially opposed it, then-president Uhuru Kenyatta and his adversary-turned-ally, Raila Odinga, led the charge for reform in the 2010 constitution.
Ndii responded with "revelations," claiming that he formed Linda Katiba with Karua's help and Ruto's backing.
At the time, he claimed that Karua may have served as the UDA party leader's running mate in the general election 2022.
"It's time for information. Martha and I founded Linda Katiba with Ruto's assistance. At that time, Martha was a potential WSR running mate. Makau Mutua attacked me because I disclosed thoroughly and even used WSR campaign funds to pay Boniface. Everyone is a hypocrite, wrote Ndii on his Twitter.
Before returning to Kenya to serve as the spokesperson for Raila Odinga's presidential campaign, Makau Mutua was a law professor stationed in the US then.
The economist's claims were refuted by Karua, who claimed that he never told the Linda Katiba team that Ruto was sponsoring the movement.
Time for revelations. Linda Katiba was formed by myself and Martha with Ruto support. Martha was then prospect for WSR running mate. Made made full disclosure which is why Makau Mutua was attacking me. Even paid Boniface from WSR campaign money. Hypocrites the whole lot. https://t.co/8tlqw1mdCj
— David Ndii (@DavidNdii) July 16, 2023
"@DavidNdii You have disappointed me by joining the group of outright liars. You never acknowledged receiving financing from @WilliamsRuto or anyone else during our time working together on Lindakatiba, the Karua stated.
The NARC leader claimed that until "we secured funding from a philanthropist" toward the movement's conclusion, all costs were covered by the movement's participants.
"If at all @WilliamsRuto funded you it was your own private affair," Karua told Ndii.
