Kenya: Ringera: Will MPs discuss Kibaki action?

Justice Minister Mutula Kilonzo stoked controversy as he arrived in the House breathing fire in defence of the anti-graft czar, accusing some Cabinet ministers and MPs of opposing his reappointment because he was investigating some of them.

The split between the Executive and Parliament and the pressure the latter has put on President Kibaki over Ringeras told Mutula off as he tabled accusations.

But Mutula went ahead and tabled a list of eight Cabinet ministers, 14 MPs, 11 Permanent Secretaries and 14 chief executives of state corporations, as well as other current and former top government officials, whom he said were under investigation by Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission (KACC).

Documents uttered by the Minister show Ringera is investigating Cabinet ministers Musalia Mudavadi, William Ruto, Charity Ngilu, Soita Shitanda, Christopher Obure, Samuel Poghisio and David Musila for several forms of corruption and abuse of office crimes. MPs under investigation are Abu Chiaba, Zakayo Cheruiyot, John Mututho, Ekwee Ethuro, Cyrus Jirongo and Sammy Mwaita.

Mutula, who was in a fighting mood, also accused the Attorney General, the United Kingdom and the United States of frustrating anti-corruption investigations.

Mutulas list was drawn from past records documented by KACC but was dated September 9.

Personal interests

However, the Speaker immediately ruled that some of the documents by Mutula were inadmissible because they were not signed and, therefore, not authentic as demanded by the rules of the House.

MPs took on Mutula, accusing him of serving personal interests by supporting Ringeras reappointment.

Undeterred, Mutula tabled the documents showing that apart from raising corruption evidence, Ringera had mounted evidence on the Anglo-Leasing scam.

But MPs accused the Minister of attempting to divert attention from Ringeras controversial reappointment and seeking to pre-empt todays ruling by the Speaker.

Speaker Kenneth Marende will rule on whether Parliament should adopt a parliamentary report accusing President Mwai Kibaki of flouting the law in the re-appointment.

Gwassi MP John Mbadi accused the Justice minister of malice. The MP accused the minister of pulling diversionary tactics and seeking to “pre-empt the ruling on Ringera”.

Parastatal heads

Bura MP Nassir Abdi questioned the ministers “prompt and uncharacteristic answer” in the form of a ministerial statement sought by Ndaragwa MP Jeremiah Kioni on Tuesday.

Mutulas report alleged KACC had also launched anti-corruption investigations on a number of parastatal heads. They were named as Eddy Njoroge (KenGen), George Muhoho (Kenya Airports Authority) Gabriel Longoiboni (Teachers Service Commission) and Dr Cyrus Nderitu (Kari), among others.

On Wednesday Marende invited members to persuade him on which way to rule about the matter saying he needs to be guided by the house. Cabinet ministers Otieno Kajwang, James Orengo and Prof Anyang Nyongo, and MPs Martha Karua, Danson Mungatana and Bonny Khalwale, among others, opposed the move by Mutula.

On the other hand Ministers Njeru Githae and Sam Ongeri, and Attorney-General Amos Wako, supported the Justice minister.

If the Speaker rules that the matter is sub judice (under court consideration) and, therefore, cannot be debated by the House, it will be a big blow to Parliament as the Executive will have triumphed and Ringera will smile all the way to the bank.

Set precedent

However, if the Speaker rules the matter is properly before the House and can be debated, then a report that was tabled by two departmental committees recommending nullification of President Kibakis gazette notice will be debated.

It will o pen a new era in the politics of the country because since Independence no such move has ever been taken and this will set a new precedent in the parliamentary democracy.

And if the report is then debated and passed by the House, the move by the President will have been thrown out, creating a constitutional crisis.

The Standard