Kiambu governor James Nyoro has condemned the distribution of poisonous food stuffs to residents on Sunday.
Speaking on Monday, the county boss said the relief food had been distributed to Karai and Nachu wards in Kikuyu Constituency.
The items which included maize, flour and sugar were packaged in bags branded “William Ruto Foundation and Kimani Ichung’wa”.
Nyoro told reporters that 12 people have been referred to Kiambu and Thika Level Five hospitals.
The victims displayed signs of nausea, headache and stomach upsets after consuming the food, especially sugar.
The county chief asked that relief foods be distributed in line with the government directives.
“It is very unfortunate that politics can be used to poison our people, we have directed that all food donations be done with the set guidelines”, he said.
But the William Ruto Foundation has distanced itself from the said donations.
In a statement through his Communications Secretary David Mugonyi, the DP distanced himself from the distribution of the food saying his political opponents were out to soil his name.
Terming the distribution of the harmful food using his name as “political thuggery”, the DP said his foundation only delivers relief packages through churches, mosques and with the participation of local leaders.
“Reports from locals indicate that the strange food donations in question were hurriedly thrown from moving vehicles to unsuspecting public with fake branding, that is not from the Foundation,” the statement read in part.
The DP said it’s evil for his foes to endanger lives of Kenyans while trying to stop him politically.
“We sympathize with those who have been affected and pray for their speedy and full recovery. We shall follow up with the local leadership to assist them with medical care as is appropriate in consultation with Health officials,” he added.
Kikuyu MP Kimani Ichung’wa also warned residents to be cautious when accepting donations amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
In a Facebook post, the legislator said that a family in Gikambura area was treated at a local hospital after consuming sugar branded “William Ruto Foundation”.
He said the donation did not come from Ruto’s team.
“These are not our foodstuffs and we are not distributing anything openly and on vehicles on roads or stadiums and even the fake branding and items are not anything close to what we are distributing,” he wrote.
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