MCA who stripped naked over DP Ruto's tweet told to apologise

Central Gem MCA Fred Ouda in his office. He stripped naked to show his displeasure over a tweet allegedly posted by Deputy President William Ruto.

A member of county assembly who stripped naked a year ago will have to publicly apologise over his unethical conduct.

The Siaya MCA committed the act to show his displeasure over a tweet allegedly posted by Deputy President William Ruto.

The directive comes after Director of Public Prosecutions Keriako Tobiko upheld the recommendation by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), which conducted investigations into the unbecoming conduct of Central Gem MCA Fred Ouda.

Late June last year, Mr Ouda caused a stir when he stripped naked as he addressed journalists at the county assembly to protest the tweet, which according to him demeaned Kibera residents.

It would later emerge the tweet, which claimed that the slum dwellers "should be left to go back to their flying toilets", originated from a parody account, and not the deputy president's official Twitter handle.

The latest EACC report said members of the Siaya County Assembly Committee of Privileges deliberated on the MCA's conduct and meted out relevant sanctions as per the law.

According to areport covering April 1 to June 30, 2016, the ward representative contravened the law and the Leadership and Integrity Act 2012 by stripping.

"A report was compiled and forwarded to the DPP on April 4 recommending that EACC issues a warning letter to the MCA against further violation of the Constitution and the Leadership and Integrity Act, and that the MCA tenders a public apology," reads the report in part.

Tobiko, on July 11, accepted the two recommendations by the ethics body.

Speaking to The Standard yesterday, National Assembly Majority Leader Aden Duale confirmed the report was one of the documents he tabled in Parliament during a special sitting early this month.

EACC, according to the Anti- Corruption and Economics Act 2003, is required to prepare quarterly reports for the DPP.

A copy of the report is to be forwarded to the Attorney General, who is in turn expected to lay it before the National Assembly.