Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission: Ours is to prevent abuse by MPs

The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) is not investigating MPs’ allowances but working with Parliament to develop systems and procedures to prevent abuse, chairman Mumo Matemu said.

National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi, who also chairs the Parliamentary Service Commission, had on September 4 invited the EACC to investigate misappropriations by MPs.

“We have received a letter from the speaker requesting how EACC can assist in systems review and we have responded that we would be willing to do it,” Mr Matemu told Sunday Nation

But he said the commission requires a firm legal basis to undertake such an investigation.

MPs have been accused of making false mileage claims which are estimated to have cost the taxpayer Sh1.8 billion.

Legislators from distant constituencies are the worst offenders which led to their colleagues, especially those from Nairobi constituencies who are not entitled to claim, to complain to the speaker.

The Speaker says some MPs are reporting up to Sh2 million a month in fraudulent mileage claims.

MPs are entitled to claim mileage once they reach the 750-kilometre mark.

This means those from Nairobi and its environs who don’t travel long distances to their constituencies are only entitled to motor-vehicle maintenance allowance of Sh356,000 a month.

“What we want to see is whether the policies are clear to lend themselves to investigations. We have agreed with the speaker (Mr Muturi) that the first point is systems review so that members know what they can claim and the practicality of the claims,” Mr Mutemu told Sunday Nation.