- Linda Katiba Forum was a movement formed by activists protesting the proposed BBI amendments.
- Ndii claimed that Ruto bankrolled the initiative and supported its activities.
Image: COURTESY
Narc Kenya boss Martha Karua has clashed with David Ndii over claims that President William Ruto financed the Linda Katiba movement's activities before the 2022 general election.
Linda Katiba Forum was a movement formed by activists protesting the proposed amendments to the Constitution prior to the last polls through the famous Building Bridges Initiative.
The BBI push was retired President Uhuru Kenyatta's initiative that proposed a radical constitutional review to expand the government.
Responding to Ndii's claims that Ruto bankrolled the initiative, Karua rubbished such reports saying the economist never disclosed any source of funding as the activists funded their own activities.
"David Ndii I am disappointed.... Throughout our collaboration with Linda Katiba, you never disclosed any funding from William Ruto or anybody else," Karua wrote on her official Twitter account.
"We contributed for our expenses until towards the end when we secured funding from a philanthropist. If at all Ruto funded you it was your own private affair."
Ndii, who is the President's Chairperson of the Council of Economic Advisers, had claimed through a Tweet that Ruto supported the initiative.
Mwangi, whom Ndii also claimed was a beneficiary of Ruto's generosity, fired back at Ndii claiming that the economist was not present when the name Linda Katiba was coined, let alone sourcing funds for the group's activities.
"David Ndii I’m ashamed that a man of your stature would stoop this low to malign my name. You know that I volunteered my time and resources to Linda Katiba," Mwangi wrote back.
"I even hosted and fed you in my home. You weren’t even in the meeting where Linda Katiba’s name was coined. If you collected money from William Ruto using my name, please account for it."
Former members of the Linda Katiba Movement include Jerotich Seii, former Makueni governor Kivutha Kibwana, Wanjeri Nderu, Diana Ngao, Ndung'u Wainaina, Reuben Kigame, Daisy Amdany, Mwangi, Karua and Ndii.
Mwangi says the members are witnesses that he was never paid for the work he did for Linda Katiba.
Karua also defended Mwangi, saying that he never received any payments from Ruto, who was then the Deputy President of Kenya.
"I am not aware of Boniface Mwangi being paid from Ruto's money. I recall by the time Boniface Mwangi left we were not able to refund to him out-of-pocket expenses let alone remunerate him," Karua added.
Karua, who was Raila Odinga's running mate in the 2022 General Elections, said Ndii revealed Ruto's funding when he already had a case in court against the BBI.
"Towards the end you did disclose to me that you had received financial support from Ruto for your case against BBI. I was not a party to the said case and you were already in court when I joined Linda Katiba," Karua said.
"You cannot drag me into your money deals then with Ruto. I agreed to collaborate with Ruto limited to opposing the constitution (BBI). Later when Ruto through his people and later himself I made it clear that I could not work with him."
Karua later joined Raila's Azimio La Umoja Coalition and became the running mate in the polls that they narrowly lost to Ruto.