House teams in bid to save face after graft claims

Integrity allegations that have consumed the powerful Public Accounts Committee in the recent past spilled to the floor of the National Assembly on Wednesday with several MPs calling for a reshuffle of all committees to redeem the image of the House.

But embattled chairman PAC Ababu Namwamba put up a spirited defence, challenging anyone with evidence to put it forward for investigation and appropriate action.

“I swear on the floor of this House before you my colleagues that I and members of PAC are ready and willing to subject ourselves to any inquiry of any nature on any matter in a context that is fair,” he implored.

The committee is facing allegations ranging from extortion to compromises, prejudices and deceit.

Majority Leader Aden Duale brought the matter to the House. It was debated in private last week, when Mr Namwamba survived his ouster, arguing it touched on the privileges of committee members.

House Speaker Justin Muturi allowed members to discuss the matter and promised to issue a communication on the same at Thursday’s sitting.

Mr Duale said: “We cannot continue to bury our heads in the sand as if nothing has happened. These allegations threaten the very foundation upon which Parliament is mandated to oversight other institutions,” he said.

The Nation learnt that Mr Namwamba’s troubles were far from over following indication that a section of the disgruntled PAC membership had embarked on a fresh push to oust him.

Ijara MP Ibrahim Abass said on Tuesday: “We have started collecting signatures today. So far we have nine. We intend to complete that process tomorrow and submit them to the Clerk.”

After the signatures are submitted, National Assembly Clerk Justin Bundi would have three days to convene a sitting to deliberate on the motion of no-confidence.

REDEEM HOUSE IMAGE

Mr Duale said Parliament should go to all lengths to redeem its image, particularly on the conduct and integrity of members.

“It is time Mr Speaker, that Parliament started to look inwards for solutions even before the anti-corruption agencies invite themselves,” he said.

He questioned whether following the allegations, PAC should continue discharging its mandate of offering oversight to other government institutions and agencies on behalf of Parliament.

But Mr Namwamba said PAC should not be condemned as a whole but responsibility be assigned to individuals.

“Don’t make members of this committee victims of mob lynching. Subject them to a fair, just and free process and you shall separate the chaff from wheat, the truth from lies, facts from fiction,” he said.

He went on: “An allegation of corruption is a criminal allegation, it’s an allegation that requires someone to be tried and if found culpable, dealt with.”

Minority Whip Jakoyo Midiwo said the woes facing PAC cut across all the other committees. “We have to address ourselves to this… there seems to be some loud silence about this issue. We will go down if nothing is done,” the Gem MP cautioned.

He said sentiments coming from Kenyans on social media who applauded reports of a planned attack on Parliament was an indication of how much their detested their MPs.

“In the eyes of many Kenyans, we are not worthy to be living with the rest of the citizens,” he said.

He said the corruption allegations must be investigated. “We want to know who was paid what; nobody is above the law… I do not want to go down with the carelessness of one or two MPs or a committee,” he stated.

The matter was discussed during a retreat of MPs in Mombasa over the weekend with suggestions to change House rules to have PAC headed by either the Minority Leader or his deputy.

Ugunja MP Opiyo Wandayi accused the Executive of attempting to control the direction of committee proceedings.

“The main issue here is the matter of morality. To try and dwell on PAC alone as if PAC itself is the problem is missing the point,” he stated.

Kamkunji MP Yusuf Hassan suggested reshuffling committees and taking away the privileges accorded to members altogether so that they are open to scrutiny for transparency.

Ugenya MP David Ochieng’ said there have been cases of members walking into offices of persons being investigated and promising them protection through their parliamentary committees.

He said some reports have deliberately been delayed for tabling because of vested interests where members of committees use them for rent seeking.

Mr Namwamba pointed an accusing finger at his political enemies and opponents saying his woes had everything to do with his position as the ODM secretary-general.

“Let us look at all information touching on the integrity of anybody to defeat fears out there that this is merely political witch-hunt… Only this will rescue this harlot chamber from being misused for political witch-hunt,” he said.