Pioneer Siaya governor Cornel Rasanga has accused President William Ruto of being the unseen hand in the controversial seizure of former foreign minister Raphael Tuju’s Dari Restaurant that sits on 27 acres in the affluent Karen residential estate in Nairobi.

Rasanga now wants the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party to sever links with President Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA) accusing ODM’s partner in the broad-based government of frustrating Mr Tuju.

Tuju says attempts to negotiate a buyout of the loan through a facility from Kenya Commercial Bank has been turned down by the lender – the East African Development Bank – four times. This is notwithstanding proof that the lender did not release Ksh296 million for development of the property.

Tuju’s legal team accuse ADB of being in breach of the contract and in the process knowingly and deliberately obtaining a pecuniary advantage over the former minister by deception.

More intriguingly, when the fact of the contract was referred to Supreme Court, all the judges are reportedly and inexplicably recused themselves from hearing the matter, raising fears of coercion by executive.

Following the facts that are emerging, Rasanga has threatened to mobilise thousands of Siaya residents to march and occupy the property in dispute in Nairobi. The former governor says Siaya residents cannot afford to keep quiet as one of their sons is being harassed.

Rasanga said Tuju acquired his property through hard-work and as a local investor, must be cushioned from harassment.

“The war against Tuju is a war against Siaya residents. He has invested and employed people,” said the former governor, who accused the executive of attempting to fraudulently dispossess the former cabinet secretary of his property.

Last Saturday, Tuju said President Ruto had warned of unknown consequences for declining to cede the property to him.

Rasanga challenged top ODM officials and leaders from Siaya to review their association and support for President Ruto if no action will be taken to stop the harassment.

“As an individual, I have stopped supporting the broad-based government and I am urging my supporters and all ODM supporters’ countrywide to do the same,” he said.

Rasanga called on warring factions in the ODM to give dialogue a chance to quell divisions.

He called for the appointment of eminent persons such as retired Kisumu Catholic archbishop, Zachaeus Okoth and retired Maseno West Anglican bishop Joseph Otieno Wasonga to lead the mediation process between Linda Ground and Linda Mwananchi factions.

The former governor said ODM must not allow itself to be “swallowed by UDA” and supported calls that the party field a presidential candidate during the next General Election.

• A Tell Media / KNA report / By Philip Onyango