MP wants DP Ruto investigated over bribery claims in Waiguru impeachment

Deputy President William Ruto should be investigated over allegations of bribery that saw a motion to impeach Devolution cabinet secretary Anne Waiguru abort last year, Nyando MP Fred Outa said on Thursday.

The allegations are contained in the status report of the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) which is the basis of ongoing investigations into alleged corruption.

According to the report, the Chief of staff in the office of the Deputy President Marianne Keittany diverted Sh100 million from the Legislative and Inter-Governmental Relations Office and used it to mobilise MPs in the campaigns to impeach the Devolution and Planning Cabinet Secretary in July last year.

Mr Outa said the report, however, only names Ms Keittany as culpable and leaves out the Deputy President under whose office the offence occurred.

“If people are stepping aside because of corruption, we cannot spare the Deputy President, he is a leader and he too should step aside in the spirit of collective responsibility because his office is implicated, there should be no sacred cows,” the MP said.

ON THE SPOT

Ms Keittany who has already stepped aside to allow investigations, is also on the spot for allegedly diverting Sh200 million to fund a campaign against one of President Kenyatta’s most trusted Cabinet Secretaries.

Mr Outa, a Cord MP, argued that since the motion aborted, it means the office of Deputy President succeeded in its mobilisation strategy hence possible bribery of MPs during the time should be investigated.

“There is a blanket condemnation of all members of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) and the Agriculture Committee in this report yet no mention of all MPs with regard to the allegations that Sh100 million was used to mobilise them during the Waiguru motion,” he said.

“Truly the motion was defeated and this means all the MPs were compromised, which then means that the entire Parliament should also step aside so that the truth is known,” he argued.

The impeachment motion against Ms Waiguru was filed by Igembe South MP Mithika Linturi who developed cold feet and went missing at the last minute when the motion came up for debate on the floor of the National Assembly.

GROSS MISCONDUCT

He wanted Parliament to force President Uhuru Kenyatta to dismiss the CS in line with Article 152 (6) of the Constitution, over alleged gross misconduct and gross violation of the Constitution.

Mr Linturi, a Jubilee MP, had managed to collect over100 signatures from MPs in support of the motion, surpassing the 88 constitutional threshold required to impeach a CS. He had accused the CS of allegedly misusing her office and violating the law by abusing, intimidating and threatening public servants under her docket.

The motion was, however, lost after the MP failed to show up on the day when it was due for debate.

On Monday, former Prime Minister and Cord leader Raila Odinga poked holes in the EACC report said one of the country’s highest office holder’s had been left out.

Mr Odinga said the President had deliberately left out sacred cows in the presidency,’ further questioning why the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IIEC) officials were left out for instance.

“There can’t be corruption of this magnitude without the highest priest of the country knowing. Everyone knows the high priest and he is not in the list of shame,” he said at the Eka hotel along Mombasa road after arrival from a foreign trip.

Mr Outa also said that the Devolution Cabinet Secretary should as well be investigated over the same.