Isuzu East Africa has come out and refuted claims that a school bus unveiled by Deputy President William Ruto to Kianjai Girls’ Secondary School in Meru County was repossessed.

Isuzu said a school busordered by the school was fully paid for in December 2020, contrary to reports in sections of the media that the company had repossessed it over unsettled balance.

The company, however, clarified that the bus ordered by the school and payment completed late last year was still in the showroom and final works were being completed before its official handover. 

A tweet posted by Dr Ruto on March 6 indicates that the bus was purchased by funds from the Tigania West National Government Constituency Development Fund (NGCDF).  

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In a statement, Isuzu East Africa Communications Manager Dancan Muhindi insinuated that the bus unveiled on March 6 was not the same one ordered by the school and that the one ordered will be ready for a formal handover next week.

“Kianjai Girls’ Secondary School from Tigania West, Meru County placed an order with Isuzu East Africa for a 46-seater bus in September 2019,” said Muhindi on Wednesday.

“The payment was completed in December 2020. Subsequently, a chassis was allocated and bus body fabrication commenced. The bus had recently been completed and number plates issued. We expect to make delivery of the bus to the school next week,” he added.

Isuzu maintained that the Sh3.5 million bus had not been repossessed over delayed pay, with the story reported in dailies embarrassing the DP who 'donated' the bus to the school.

“We have noted that the letter’s misleading contents also appeared in a story published online by one of the leading daily newspapers,” noted Muhindi.

The bus. PHOTO/DPPS

A local newspaper, on Tuesday reported that the bus had been “taken back to the dealer”, adding that Tigania West residents were disappointed by Ruto’s “political gimmick”.

However, Tigania West MP John Mutunga was quoted saying the bus was delivered to the school for a ceremonial handover to Kianjai Girls’ by the DP before Isuzu finished works.

So, did Mutunga mislead the DP using the wrong bus or was it the public that was misled to score political points in the race for State House in 2022?