EACC probes MPs after President Ruto's accusations of bribery in Parliament

The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) says it has launched investigations into Members of Parliament accused of demanding bribes, this coming after President William Ruto accused lawmakers of turning Parliament into a "marketplace for extortion."

Through its chairperson, David Oginde, the commission says it is already tracking several MPs implicated, warning that no one will be spared once evidence is gathered.

"We are actually doing active investigations on a number of individuals, and you’ll soon see the consequences across various levels of the leadership system,” said Oginde.

The probe spans allegations ranging from bribery to influence legislation, inflated allowances, misuse of Constituency Development Funds, and claims that senior officials are coerced into paying protection fees.

"We expect Parliament to make laws that serve us better. But the reality is alleged bribery, inflated allowances, and protection rackets,” the chairperson added.

The commission says it has previously met the Speakers of the National Assembly and Senate, and will consult them again — stressing that Parliament is a privileged institution where cooperation is vital for the investigations to succeed.

"It’s one rotten potato that spoils the whole bag. We want to know: are there specific individuals, and what can be done — not only to punish them, but to end the whole thing?" Oginde posed.

Civil society organisations have also weighed in, urging the President to substantiate his remarks by presenting evidence to investigative agencies.

"If the President is serious, he should present evidence to investigating authorities so that thorough investigations are done,” Transparency International Kenya Executive Director Sheila Masinde stated.

President Ruto last week accused members of parliament of breeding corruption in demanding bribes from cabinet secretaries and governors, a statement that has seemingly created a clash between the Executive and the Legislature. 

While addressing the Devolution Conference in Homa Bay County, he called out MPs who, he said, had turned house committees into money-minting rings instead of exercising oversight responsibilities, labelling the House a den of graft.

“There is something happening in parliament that must be called out. There is money being demanded from executives, from governors, from people in executive especially those who are for accountability.”

President Ruto, who veered off from his speech, pointed directly to unnamed committees of parliament that he says have turned to extortion rings.

“It cannot continue to be business as usual. It cannot be that committees of parliament demand to be paid for them to write reports or look the other way,” said Ruto.

The head of state again at the same time, turned his salvos on the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission and demanded for a crackdown.

“I have made it clear to EACC that there will be no sacred cows. There will be no phone calls from below or above to stop anyone from being prosecuted,” said Ruto.