House of bribery: How corrupt MPs go scot free
National Assembly Speaker Wetang’ula says rogue MPs exploit recruitment drives by State agencies to extort money from heads of parastatals...
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Concerns about parliamentary corruption in Kenya have resurfaced following new bribery allegations against Members of Parliament. Speaker Moses Wetang’ula, who chairs the powerful House Powers and Privileges Committee, addressed lawmakers about rampant extortion, despite his committee’s failure to sanction any corrupt members.
- Speaker Wetang’ula highlighted how rogue MPs exploit recruitment drives and audit queries to extort money from state agencies and executive officers.
- The Speaker noted that some MPs act as 'welfare officers' to collect bribes, enabling favorable reports or the deletion of adverse recommendations.
- Despite having the mandate to investigate and sanction members, the Wetang’ula-led committee has not initiated any investigations into breaches of privilege during his three years as Speaker.
- President William Ruto previously accused MPs of creating "money-minting rings" and demanding bribes from Cabinet Secretaries and Governors.
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Speaker Wetang'ula Predicts Over 56% of MPs Will Not Be Re-elected - January 2026
National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang'ula has predicted that over 56% of current Members of Parliament will not be re-elected in the upcoming general election, citing rising political temperatures. He made these remarks during a legislative retreat in Naivasha, urging lawmakers to invest in pension schemes. A recent actuarial report indicated that more than half of current MPs will likely not be re-elected, prompting the Speaker to urge the passing of a Bill for a post-retirement medical scheme. Separately, Speaker Wetang’ula, who chairs the House Powers and Privileges Committee, addressed lawmakers about rampant extortion following new bribery allegations against MPs.
