House okays PLO Lumumba for anti-graft job

Renowned lawyer PLO Lumumba moved a step closer to being the next Kenya anti-corruption head after Parliament approved his nomination to the position.

Dr Lumumba's fate now lies with President Kibaki, who is expected to formally appoint him as the Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission director.

Parliament on Thursday unanimously approved his nomination alongside those of lawyer Pravin Bowry and university lecturer Jane Kerubo Onsongo as deputy directors of Kacc.

Wednesday’s attempt by nominated MP George Nyamweya to block Dr Lumumba from getting the job was dismissed as “flimsy” and “lacking evidence”.

Dr Boni Khalwale (Ikolomani, New Ford Kenya) said the advisory board was “competent” and Parliament could not just throw the nominees out without proof.

Mr Nyamweya had accused Dr Lumumba of scuttling the Bomas constitutional conference, but Dr Khalwale told him: “Inside a bus, you’ll always have a very faithful turnboy and a very competent driver…Dr Lumumba was merely a turnboy, don’t blame the failings of Prof (Yash Pal) Ghai on him.”

Baseless

He said that just because Dr Lumumba had contested in the last elections did not make him political. And if he was to be disqualified over that, then politicians like Mr Andrew Ligale, the chair of the boundaries review commission ought not to have gotten the job.

Cabinet minister James Orengo and Gichugu MP Martha Karua said that the accusation that Dr Lumumba and Mr Bowry had represented corruption clients in court and therefore their impartiality was not guaranteed, was baseless.

They said he was acting in his professional capacity.

Ms Karua said that Parliament ought to be factual for if they do otherwise “the House will be taken as a lynch mob out to destroy the careers of professionals".

“He bribed no one during the campaigns. He has very little tribal affiliation, and I don’t think he’s interested in any having been brought up in Nairobi,” said Cabinet minister Fred Gumo.

However, it was not all smooth-sailing for Dr Lumumba as assistant minister Aden Duale said that the “job of Kacc director general was not all about eloquence or public speaking".

“It is about integrity and that depends on the history of a person. Nairobi (Kamukunji) people had no confidence in him,” said Mr Duale.

“Let’s not be carried away by friendship in the legal profession.”

Supporting, Kangundo MP Johnstone Muthama urged the House to give Dr Lumumba a chance.

“Don’t block him, he is a man of integrity as the committee found out,” he said.

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