Speaker Justin Muturi trashes EACC graft report on MPs

Jubilee MPs (from left) Alex Muiru, David Kiaraho, Kareke Mbiuki, Kabando wa Kabando and Stephen Kinyanjui after a Kamukunji Tuesday. [PHOTO: BONIFACE OKENDO/STANDARD]

NAIROBI: Speaker Justin Muturi has finally yielded to pressure from MPs and has now gone ahead to rubbish a report by anti-graft czar which exposed massive corruption in the august House.

During an impromptu Kamukunji at Parliament Buildings, MPs threatened to kick out the speaker for inviting the Ethics and Anti-corruption Commission (EACC) to investigate allegations that some of them were filing false mileage claims.

To save himself the wrath of the MPs, Muturi was forced to apologise in a dramatic session that was also attended by a number of Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (CORD) MPs.

"I sincerely apologise. Sometimes one can make errors of judgment. I called in the EACC in good faith, but they turned it to be a different animal," the Speaker told the MPs, before promising that he will call a Press conference to discredit the report and exonerate the MPs mentioned.

At the Kamukunji, Muturi was accused of presiding over a 'corrupt' Parliamentary Service Commission (PSC) and putting MPs at the risk of losing their parliamentary seats.

"The report that EACC brought out was false. MPs were accused of many things, including that they took loans without collateral. This is something that can make a person to lose their parliamentary seat," said Irungu Kangata, who is among those named in the report and who attended the Kamukunji.

"We are going to impeach the speaker. I'm going to bring the motion personally," shouted Francis Mwangangi (Yatta) as he walked out of the meeting where the Speaker was being grilled by MPs.

"We gave the speaker his seat and he has now turned against the hand that feeds him. He must go," said another MP implicated in the report.

President Uhuru Kenyatta was also sucked into the matter at an early State House meeting after MPs from the ruling coalition expressed discontent with his comments that the incessant claims of corruption against them was denting the reputation of the House.

The President is said to have told the MPs that they should put their house in order as the public was quickly losing confidence in the House.

Majority leader Aden Duale had to intervene after the president's comments drew murmurs from angry parliamentarians.

"Duale stepped in to cool down matters and suggest that the President allow the MPs to resolve the issue at an informal meeting. MPs were angry at what they saw as an attempt by the President to protect the speaker. That is why they expressed murmurs of discontent," said the MP.

It is after the State House meeting that the over 100 MPs drove straight to Parliament Buildings, and demanded that the Kamukunji be held immediately. They threatened that the speaker will not preside over today's special session of the House.

Florence Kajuju (Meru) said that the decision to call the Kamukunji had been initiated by the President at State House.

The Speaker sat quietly as MPs demanded that he comes clear on his role in inviting the EACC and take steps to 'launder' the report.

Following yesterday's armtwisting, the greatest casualty will be the PSC, which is chaired by the Speaker.

The meeting resolved that the four-member committee will be dissolved and a new one formed. The committee comprises two members from each of the coalitions.

They include Jimmy Angwenyi (Kitutu Chache North), Adan Keynan (Eldas), Gladys Wanga (Homa Bay) and Regina Chengorok (West Pokot).

The speaker also gave in to a demand by MPs that an audit be conducted of all employees of the PSC and that that EACC be summoned to offer them an apology.