ODM politicising anti-graft fight, says PNU

A political fall-out between Kenya coalition partners, ODM and PNU parties, appeared in the offing on Thursday as PNU accused their coalition partner of politicising the fight against corruption.

PNU Chief Whip Johnstone Muthama said the fight against corruption would have to go on regardless of the people indicted and dragged to court.

In the wake of the prosecution of ODM chairman Henry Kosgey, a section of MPs from the party on Wednesday accused the Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission of targeting Cabinet ministers from the party.

“We want the fight to continue. The matter was discussed in Parliament but nobody came to defend (Kosgey) then,” said Mr Muthama, who is also the MP for Kangundo.

Mr Muthama said it was wrong for ODM MPs to suggest the Kenya Anti-Corruption was specifically targeting Cabinet ministers from their party and sparing others

Kinangop MP David Ngugi also asked his colleagues not to politicise the fight against corruption, which is seen to have improved with the new Constitution.

“If you’re caught in this web…if you’re caught stealing, don’t go to your party or tribe. Everybody should carry their own cross when it comes to corruption,” said the Kinangop legislator.

ODM MPs had made a threat to censure KACC director Prof Patrick Lumumba in Parliament if he does not prosecute three more ministers, also under investigation.

They later claimed to have withdrawn their threat but it angered their colleagues, who told journalists such a censure motion would not pass in the House.

The ODM team had also accused Ndaragwa MP Jeremiah Kioni and Head of Civil Service Francis Muthaura of being behind the fast prosecution of Mr Kosgey.

“PLO was not hired by ODM or PNU and what he is doing now has nothing to do with either Kioni or Muthaura.

There were also calls for the dissolution of the Cabinet after Mr Kosgey resigned on Tuesday morning before he was taken to court later that day.

MPs Martha Karua and Dr Boni Khalwale has asked President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga to grab the opportunity and sweep their house clean.

Mr Muthama, however, said it would be too early to ask for that.

Separately, PNU National Organising Secretary Maina Kamanda called on KACC to launch investigations on the misuse of CDF funds arguing that Kenyans were losing a lot of money.

The former Starehe MP said that it would be wrong for legislators to start accusing a commission which they set up and was working well just because its actions were not favourable to them.

"Even in PNU we have had some of our members leave office on allegations of corruption. So it is rather misleading for them to insinuate that the war against corruption is only targeting ODM ministers," said Mr Kamanda.

He added that it was wrong for ODM MPs to try and block an independent commission from doing its work since the fight on corruption was not targeting parties but individuals perpetrating the looting of public funds.