Speaker Justin Muturi suspends PAC over corruption allegations

What you need to know:

  • Justin Muturi announces decision to suspend committee for 21 days.
  • Powers and Privileges Committee to investigate corruption allegations and will hold its first meeting next Monday.

The National Assembly's Public Accounts Committee has been suspended for at least three weeks in the wake of allegations of corruption.

The Powers and Privileges Committee will now investigate the allegations.

Speaker Justin Muturi announced the decision to the House on Thursday evening after several MPs, led by Majority Leader Aden Duale, raised concerns on Wednesday about the PAC's well-documented internal wrangling.

Mr Muturi also temporarily stepped down as the chairman of the Powers and Privileges Committee, ostensibly because he had spoken to PAC chairman Ababu Namwamba before, and appointed Kuresoi North MP Moses Cheboi to lead the investigation.

The Powers and Privileges Committee will hold its first meeting next Monday and has 21 days to carry out its investigation. Once its report is tabled, the House must debate it within three days.

The suspension means that the PAC will not have its sittings, in turn meaning a pending report on a special audit of the Judicial Service Commission will not be tabled.

A fresh attempt to oust Mr Namwamba, mooted by Ijara MP Ibrahim Abass, will also have to be put aside. Mr Abass had already started collecting signatures for a Motion of no confidence.

'RENT-SEEKING'

The suspension of the PAC and the subsequent investigation opens a fresh chapter in the National Assembly’s history after long-simmering complaints about what is euphemistically referred to as “rent-seeking” in House committees.

So concerned has the House leadership been that the matter was among key topics discussed at an annual retreat in Mombasa last weekend.

A resolution was made to have a code of conduct for MPs developed. The Powers and Privileges Committee has until August to come up with one.