Punish MPs stealing via fake mileage claims

The mileage allowance for MPs varied between Sh650,000 and Sh4 million each. [Elvis Ogina, Standard]

The latest report by the Auditor General is an indictment on the conduct of some Members of Parliament.

According to the report, some MPs made false mileage claims exceeding Sh11 million in the financial year ending June 2020.

Such indiscretions, unfortunately, have been spread across the board to include false claims on sitting and travel allowances. In so doing, MPs who should uphold the highest standards of integrity and accountability have debased themselves by siphoning billions of shillings from the public coffers. Such money would have been put to good use had MPs behaved judiciously.  

Once too often, MPs have been in the news for all the wrong reasons. When they are not blocking the Salaries and Remuneration Commission from determining their salaries and perks, they are vigorously chasing legislation that would facilitate the lining of their pockets. It first came into the public domain that MPs were making false mileage claims in 2015. At the time, some MPs falsely claimed as much as Sh700,000 a month, yet did not visit their constituencies in the periods claimed.

The matter surfaced again in 2017 after the Parliamentary Service Commission under Justin Muturi called in the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) to investigate allegations of false mileage claims by legislators.

For individuals who, doubtless, are among the highest paid public servants in Kenya, and indeed the world, it is immoral for MPs to continue to fleece the public. EACC should save Kenyans further loss by getting to the bottom of this scam. ‘Honourable’ MPs who behave so dishonourably deserve a date with the judge.

We should not allow a situation where supposed lawmakers become law breakers and get away with it. Fidelity to Chapter Six of the Constitution is not optional. Leaders must abide by it.