Kilonzo accuses MPs of delaying graft team

The government on Wednesday traded accusations with a parliamentary committee over the delay in appointing the team to steer a new anti-corruption agency.

By failing to introduce a motion for the approval of the three names proposed by the President and the Prime Minister late last year, Legal Affairs committee was slowing down the process of appointing the new commissioners to the Ethics and Anti Corruption Commission, Justice minister Mutula Kilonzo said.

“We are stuck. There is no movement because the committee recommended that the names be rejected because they lack passion but MPs went ahead to reject the committee’s recommendations and approved the names with a majority of one,” Mr Kilonzo complained.

“My ministry has recommended that the Legal Affairs committee now introduces a motion asking the House to approve the names so that the commission is established but this is not happening.”

But in a rejoinder, the acting chairman of the committee, Githunguri MP Njoroge Baiya, said the Executive was to blame for the impasse in the appointment of the three commissioners after it rejected the nomination of former Kenya Revenue Authority commissioner Mumo Matemu, Ms Irene Keino and Ms Jane Onsongo by the two principals.

“The ball lies squarely with the government. The government should bring a motion to Parliament to have the names approved notwithstanding the committee’s disapproval of them. But the government is jittery because it realises that the vote of no confidence passed on the nominees by the committee has dealt it a body blow in terms of public confidence,” he stated.

The commission on Wednesday conceded that it could not discharge aspects of its mandate due to the absence of commissioners.