National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi alarmed by bribery claims

National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi (left) and Kigumo MP Jamleck Kamau during the fourth annual retreat of the Parliament’s leadership at Serena Beach Resort and Spa in Mombasa, Friday. [PHOTO: KELVIN KARANI/STANDARD]

National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi and House Clerk Justin Bundi led chairpersons of House committees to a luxury resort in Mombasa to address runaway corruption within the House teams.

Yesterday, the duo set the ball rolling during the fourth annual retreat of the National Assembly leadership in calling for self-reflection among MPs, amid widespread claims of bribery and leadership wrangles.

They said they were not happy with the avalanche of allegations of corruption within the corridors of Parliament; an institution charged with an oversight mandate.

In the retreat attended by party leaders, whips and some MPs, the duo at the helm of the august House said if MPs continue with the trend, there was a possibility they will be recalled for failing to discharge their duties.

“We have entered a phase of political uncertainty and renewed demands, and you should prepare. This is when constituents are alive to those people preparing for 2017 election,” said Mr Bundi, alluding to the recall clause, which is now active, that this is the third year after the March 2013 polls.

Politicians had put a moratorium in the Elections Act where they can only be recalled after the first two years, and before the last two years, of their five year term.

The Speaker and his deputy Joyce Laboso were alarmed that the allegations of corruption were unprecedented in the history of Parliament.

He was surprised that unlike in the past when MPs were accused by the public, this time, in the history of Parliament after the promulgation of the Constitution, the “MPs publicly accuse each other of taking bribes and being involved in illicit relationship with individuals or corporations being investigated by the committees of the House.

What ails us

“Let us discuss these issues candidly and openly. Let us know what it is that ails us, for indeed, we are the only ones who can resolve the teething and chronic problems that have befallen our committees. I believe we can find a solution to this” said Muturi.

Laboso said: “We need to put our house in order!”

The retreat at Mombasa Serena Beach Hotel comes within the week that the chairman Public Accounts Committee, Ababu Namwamba (Budalang’i) survived ouster by a whisker. Namwamba was fighting allegations of corruption, but he too accused some committee members of bribery.

The top House bosses; Muturi, Bundi and Laboso said the issue has to be worked out or else the National Assembly will not survive the test of integrity.

“When there are many issues like the ones we saw this week, it is a challenge on us to see how to deal with it. We have huge responsibilities bestowed on us by the Constitution to make budgets, vet appointments and to do oversight. We must choose to protect and implement this Constitution the way that it was designed or lose favour, lose face and then face challenges and ridicule,” said Bundi.

The Clerk was also upset that most of the committees were holding their meetings in camera to the exclusion of the parliamentary staff who are supposed to be keeping the records of the committees. He said it was worrying that MPs were kicking out their chairpersons because of poor leadership.

“We have seen renewed pre-occupation with the removal of chairpersons; in my many years in Parliament, I have not seen such clamour for removal of chairpersons, it is worth considering in this retreat,” said Bundi.