‘Summon Ruto or we impeach you’: Senators tell Speakers Kingi, Wetangula over bribery claims

Senators are now threatening to impeach the Speakers of both Houses of Parliament if they don’t summon President William Ruto to give evidence on those involved in taking bribes from senior government officials.

Members of the Senate Public Accounts Committee, which has come under scrutiny over the bribery allegations, fingered Speaker Amason Kingi and his National Assembly counterpart Moses Wetangula for remaining mum while Parliament as an institution is being disparaged.

“We want the President to come and explain who are those demanding bribes. You can’t try Parliament in a kangaroo court when statutes have provisions to deal with unethical conduct by MPs, and we challenge our Speakers to convene the necessary committee to listen to the President,” demanded Committee chair Moses Kajwang.

Committee members appeared irked by their leadership for what they termed as continuing to remain quiet as the image of Parliament is battered.

“It’s not us that are weak, it’s the leadership of the House that is weak. We’re being invaded by Executive and our leadership is not saying anything,” said Kitui Senator Enoch Wambua.

“I am putting the leadership of the House on notice, the Speaker must defend the institution of Parliament; he is our leader. The Majority and Minority leaders must defend the House, they should not just go there to make jokes about a position of welfare chairman,” said Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna.

Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei went a step further and threatened to institute impeachment motions against the two Speakers for failing to defend the institution of Parliament.

“When Parliament is under attack, the leadership of the House must be on the forefront to defend it. We must tell the Speakers that we are talking as members, and they are walking on a very dangerous path, and they might be casualties of what is happening, and they will go before we go,” he said.

According to the committee, the Speakers should use Article 125 of the Constitution that gives them powers to summon any person to the committees of Parliament.

President Ruto angered MPs when he claimed that committees of the House have become dens of extortion and rent-seeking from members of the Executive to pass bills and motions.