Ruto threatens MPs with arrest for extortion as Raila cautions rot scaring away investors » Capital News

NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 18 — President William Ruto and ODM leader Raila Odinga have sounded stern warnings over rising cases of extortion and corruption in Parliament, saying the vice is undermining governance and eroding investor confidence in the country.

Speaking at a joint engagement with legislators from Kenya Kwanza and ODM, President Ruto accused some lawmakers of turning parliamentary committees into extortion rackets, cautioning that those implicated would face arrest.

“Very few leaders can stand and tell you to stop the extortion going on in Parliament,” Ruto said.

“We are one team, but there are people destroying the credibility of Parliament. They collect money in its name, but most of the time that money never reaches Parliament — it ends up with a few individuals.”

The President alleged that some committee members had collected up to Sh10 million to facilitate the passage of certain laws, including on anti-money laundering, yet most MPs never received the funds.

He further questioned the source of unexplained wealth among some legislators.

“Where does one get Sh150 million? Is that their money? That is money that belongs to the counties,” Ruto charged.

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

He stressed that unless the rot is confronted, it risks destroying the credibility of Parliament and weakening Kenya’s democratic institutions.

On his part, Raila Odinga warned that the culture of extortion was scaring away investors and stifling development. He said that while lobbying is a legitimate global practice, in Kenya it had degenerated into outright extortion.

“Lobbying is okay. In the US, you have lobby firms formed to lobby members of Congress. They come to lobby parliamentarians,” Raila said.

“But lobbying is a different thing from extortion.”

Odinga added that the practice gives Parliament “a very bad image” when MPs solicit funds under the guise of committee welfare.

He cautioned that extortion and unnecessary bureaucracy were creating a hostile investment environment, deterring private capital from funding projects.

“Private capital is risk-shy. For example, when someone brings in their resources to start a project and then others begin making noise — that it has not been approved or is being implemented corruptly — they pull out,” Raila said.

He urged MPs to create a predictable and supportive investment climate, warning that political interference and rent-seeking were slowing down national development.