Sudi tells Ruto » Capital News

NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 20 — Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi has waded into the raging debate over bribery in Parliament, likening corrupt lawmakers to “egg thieves”.

Sudi questioned why scrutiny is not equally directed at governors, parastatal chiefs, and senior government officials whom he described as the “chicken thieves” in Kenya’s corruption ecosystem.

He was reacting to recent remarks by President William Ruto and ODM leader Raila Odinga, who jointly condemned rising cases of extortion by legislators, warning that the practice is eroding public trust and discouraging investment.

“The statements by the President and Raila Odinga about MPs’ bribery claims are true, but not all MPs are involved. Even in the Senate, it’s a minority,” Sudi said.

“MPs who have engaged in corruption are like egg thieves. But what about governors, parastatal MDs and DGs, and some Principal Secretaries? What fate awaits these chicken thieves?”

On August 18, President Ruto accused some legislators of turning parliamentary committees into “extortion rackets,” alleging that certain members pocketed up to Sh10 million to pass key bills, including the anti-money laundering legislation.

He further questioned the source of unexplained wealth among MPs, citing instances where lawmakers allegedly demanded Sh150 million from counties.

“We are not going to shame them. We are going to arrest them — those giving, those receiving, and those facilitating,” Ruto warned.

Lobbying vs extortion

Raila Odinga echoed the President’s concerns, distinguishing between legitimate lobbying and outright extortion.

“Lobbying is okay. In the US, you have firms formed to lobby Congress. But lobbying is different from extortion,” Raila said, adding that the practice of legislators soliciting bribes had damaged Parliament’s image and was deterring investors.

However, the remarks by Ruto and Raila have sparked uproar in Parliament, with Senators now demanding that the President be summoned to substantiate his allegations.

The Senate’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC), chaired by Homa Bay Senator Moses Kajwang’, insisted that the Head of State must provide evidence if indeed MPs and Senators solicited millions in bribes.

He cited Article 125 of the Constitution, which grants Parliament the same powers as the High Court to summon any person to appear before it.

“We also want to challenge the President: if you know these people, don’t just bemoan and cry like any other common person. As a consumer of raw intelligence and a person who can direct the DCI to investigate, Kenyans expect action,” Kajwang’ said.

Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna accused parliamentary leadership of failing to defend the institution, leaving MPs exposed to damaging allegations.

Kitui Senator Enock Wambua also warned that Parliament’s dignity was on the line, calling for decisive action from Speakers and committee chairs.

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