Deputy President Dr William Ruto has come out to defend his recently aborted trip to Uganda saying he was going to see President Yoweri Museveni whom he considers a friend adding that the incident was a just a political witch-hunt.

On Monday, Ruto and his allies were blocked at the Wilson airport from flying to the neighbourhood country. His Communication Secretary David Mugonyi said the DP and his team were directed to seek clearance from the Head of Public Service and Secretary to the Cabinet Joseph Kinyua.

In an interview on one of the TV stations in the country on Wednesday morning, the second-in-command defended his position saying he has never been asked to seek clearance from his boss whenever he is traveling outside the country whether for a public or private mission.

“I have been the deputy president for nine years and I have traveled to many countries for both public and private missions. At no one point have I ever been asked that I need clearance from anywhere. So, which kind of law is this which has started operating now?” the DP lamented.

Ruto also condemned those involved in the abortion of his trip, terming it illogical since he had visited the East African country early last month in a mission to build partnerships with other African countries in a bid to steer the continent towards the restructuring its market to focus more on upstream production.

DP accused some junior officials in the government disclosing that the incident was aimed at humiliating him on his political ambitions saying the agenda of his private mission to Kampala went on without his presence.

“For a period of four years, people have tried to push me harder.  Some have said I am competing with the President and that I have disrespected my boss and I have ignored all. Even blocking me from flying was meant to see if I will engage in word war with them,” said Dr Ruto.

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