Deputy President William Ruto has defied a directive by President Uhuru Kenyatta to make contributions through the Covid-19 Emergency Response Fund, details have emerged.

The Fund was established by President Kenyatta to coordinate all donations in relation to the ongoing pandemic.

Ruto has instead been distributing food through a network of religious institutions and politicians.

Using churches, mosques and MPs the DP, who has stayed away from the public limelight, has for the last month been distributing weekly food rations.

The food is being distributed with firm instructions that there should be no publicity.

A source involved in the distribution said, “Last week we fed 11,152 families. This week we have fed 16,600 families.”

The packages contain a 2kg packet of unga, 1kg beans and 400ml cooking oil.

Churches in the network that Ruto is using include the Kenya Assemblies of God, Pentecostal Assemblies of God and PEFA

Sisters with a Mission are also distributing dry rations and Iftar vouchers to vulnerable Muslim communities during Ramadhan with support of the DP.

Speaking at Jamia Mosque, Supkem secretary general Mohamed Mahat said they were very happy that Ruto was supporting the vulnerable.  

“We have never seen a person support an entire community as Ruto has done. This shows love and concern for the vulnerable. It is ironic that the person offering sadaka and help to the people, also needs help from what he faces every day,” he said.

National Assembly Majority leader Aden Duale said Ruto was focused on making the lives of Kenyans easier and not petty politics and drama.

“Ndugu makamu wa rais amekuwa na sisi na anatoa kila constituency ya waislamu [Our brother the deputy president has stood with us throughout and has supported every Muslim constituency],” Duale said.