EACC summons Murang'a MCAS fighting for House posts

Murang'a MCAs fight on January 16, 2018 following a dispute on assembly leadership. EACC has summoned 18 of the MCAs for grilling. FILE PHOTO | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • The commission seeks to question and record statements from the MCAs to facilitate investigations and later take action.
  • Mr Mue explained that EACC is following Section 4 of the Leadership and Integrity Act, 2012.
  • The 18 MCAs have been summoned to appear before the commission from Tuesday next week.

The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has summoned 18 Members of the Murang’a County Assembly for grilling following the recent brawl over the position of majority leader.

The Central Region EACC Director Jackson Mue said he had written to each of the 18 MCAs summoning them to appear before the commission from Tuesday next week.

Mr Mue said the assembly’s Speaker Nduati Kariuki and the Clerk Chris Kinyanjui have also been summoned to explain more about the chaos that rocked the House on January 16, 2018.

RECORD STATEMENTS

The commission seeks to question and record statements from the MCAs to facilitate investigations and later take action.

“Pursuant to its constitutional and statutory mandate, the commission would like you to shed more light on the matter and record statement on the same,” read the letter dated January 17, 2018.

The letter indicated that the agency is “investigating allegations of unethical conduct, in regard to a fist fight that broke out within the precinct of the assembly”.

Mr Mue explained that EACC, in summoning the MCAs, is following Section 4 of the Leadership and Integrity Act, 2012.

UNETHICAL CONDUCT

He lamented that it was the third time Murang’a MCAs are said to have engaged in fighting and unethical conduct, following other two fights at a Kiambu hotel and inside the clerk’s office.

“EACC is mandated to oversee and enforce implementation of the Act. The Act seeks to ensure State and public officers uphold high standards of integrity and ethical conduct while discharging public duty,” he said.

The director explained that the allegations of misconduct against the MCAs constitute a serious offence and amount to a breach of integrity and ethical requirement governing the conduct of State officers.

“The act of the MCAs goes against the spirit of Chapter Six of the Constitution for which they had signed to abide with before election. Their recent behaviour goes contrary to the existing code of conduct,” he noted.