Jubilee MPs ask Moses Wetang'ula to quit, face EACC, DPP over BAT scandal

Majority Leader Aden Duale yesterday led a group of Jubilee MPs to a news conference at which they demanded the resignation of opposition chief Moses Wetang'ula from the Senate leadership. Wetang'ula is the Senate Minority Leader and is the only opposition boss who made it to the august House.

Duale said given the corruption allegations against the senator, over his dealings with the British American Tobacco, he had to quit, and subject himself to investigative authorities. They said the allegations that the BAT bought Wetang'ula a return air-ticket from Nairobi to London when he was Trade Minister had to be investigated.

"These are serious allegations and Wetang'ula cannot wish them away by mere denials," said Duale at the late evening news conference at Parliament Buildings.

Wetang'ula had earlier in the day denied all the allegations and vowed to sue the BBC and local media houses who published the story.

"He must tell the country what his engagements with BAT were and why as a minister in charge of trade, he was hobnobbing with its officials and receiving junkets and freebies. The Bungoma Senator must also explain in no uncertain terms why he flew to London, what the mission was and who paid for the tickets," said Duale.

Jubilee MPs led by National Assembly Majority Leader Aden Duale addresses the media at Parliament on Wednesday 02/12/15 condemning Senator Moses Wetangula on the BAT bribery. (PHOTO: BONIFACE OKENDO/ STANDARD)

Flanked by MPs Asman Kamama (Tiaty), Alice Ng'ang'a (Thika Town), Moses ole Sakuda (Kajiado West), Ferdinand Waititu (Kabete) among others, the Majority Leader said that because the opposition was very vocal when electoral commissioners were caught in a corruption scandal in Britain, then they too have to quit and allow for independent investigations of the local aspect of the scandal.

"(Wetang'ula) has been at the forefront of demanding that public officials suspected of corruption resign or be sacked. We demand that he stands by the same principle and step aside as Leader of Minority in the Senate," Duale said. "The BAT official (mentioned) has since resigned. Wetang'ula should follow suit. This will facilitate investigations by both the British and Kenyan authorities."

The MPs said the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission, the Criminal Investigation Department and the Director of Public Prosecutions to begin investigations. Duale said he will be writing to the National Assembly's Finance and Planning Committee to push for the investigation of the senator and BAT.

They also said they will need to have Wetang'ula's role in the controversial sale of the embassy in Tokyo, in which some senior officials in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs are on the dock, to be investigated.

"Investigations into his responsibility in connection to that crime must be expedited in the public interest and for the sake of fairness, since officers who worked directly inder him are already subject to the due process of law," said Duale