Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale: 'Charge State officers over harambees'

Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale has asked the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Keriako Tobiko to charge all State officers contributing money to harambees, saying they are breaking the law.

Citing the Leadership and Integrity Act, Dr Khalwale said State officers are prohibited from engaging in, presiding over or contributing to harambees.
"In the 9th Parliament, an ad hoc committee was set up and was chaired by Koigi Wa Wamwere. The committee made far-reaching recommendations that led to legislation that put restrictions on harambees," said Khalwale.

He said the new trend by senior governmental officials and Jubilee-allied legislators is contravening Public Officers and Ethics Act 2003.
"The law is already there. The Public Officers Act and Leadership and Integrity Act are being broken. Those breaking them are in Government and they do it with contempt and little regard for the law," he said.

Leadership and Integrity Act states that a State officer shall not participate in a public collection of funds in a way that reflects adversely on his or her integrity, impartiality or interferes with the performance of official duties.

It further indicates that a State officer shall not solicit for contribution from the public for a public purpose unless the President has, by notice in the gazette, declared a national disaster and allowed a public collection for the purpose of the disaster in accordance with the law. "Harambees thrive on corruption and as various officers continue to flout the law, the DPP, the Law Society of Kenya and the Commission on Implementation of the Constitution are all silent. We should all abide by the law and not only when it favours us," said Khalwale.

He questioned the source of money being contributed by Deputy President William Ruto and various legislators, saying their salary alone cannot allow them to contribute to harambees every weekend.
"Ruto and his cronies donate up to Sh10 million a week in harambees, not to mention the cost of hiring choppers," he said.