A storm is brewing between the Senate and President William Ruto after lawmakers demanded that the Head of State be summoned to substantiate his recent claims of bribery within Parliament.
On Tuesday, senators sitting in the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), chaired by Homa Bay Senator Moses Kajwang’ and led by Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna, condemned President Ruto’s remarks, saying they undermined the integrity of Parliament and risked eroding gains made under devolution.
The senators insisted that Ruto must table evidence including intelligence reports or testimonials to support his assertions that Members of Parliament and Senators had been receiving bribes to influence key decisions. Failure to do so, they argued, would leave Parliament and county governments discredited in the eyes of the public.
“Article 125 gives us the power to compel any person to appear before this committee. This includes the President, who is making claims of unethical conduct by members of Parliament,” Senator Kajwang’ said. “The Speakers should summon him to come and shed more light on this matter. We cannot allow unsubstantiated allegations to go unchallenged.”
The lawmakers were reacting to Ruto’s comments on Monday during a joint Kenya Kwanza and ODM Parliamentary Group meeting in Karen. A visibly agitated President alleged he had credible intelligence that MPs and Senators were receiving hefty bribes. He claimed one senator alone had pocketed Ksh150 million to sway proceedings, though he declined to reveal the name.
Ruto further warned that all legislators implicated in bribery would be apprehended and prosecuted, signaling a tough stance on graft within Parliament.
However, senators cautioned that by making sweeping accusations without presenting proof, the President risked weakening public trust in the legislature. They stressed that such claims should be handled by competent institutions like the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), or through parliamentary processes—not in political gatherings.
“He should come and explain who is making and receiving those bribes. Otherwise, this amounts to trying Parliament in a kangaroo court,” Kajwang’ added.
The Senate maintains that Parliament, as a central pillar of governance, cannot afford to have its image tarnished by unverified allegations from the country’s top office.
