PARLIAMENT's Powers and Privileges
Committee plans to summon Cord leader Raila Odinga to shed light on alleged
corruption allegations facing Public Accounts Committee chairman Ababu
Namwamba.
Multiple sources said that the
committee was preparing to send summonses to Raila after it emerged that Ababu
had secretly taped a private conversation with his ODM party leader in which an
MP admitted receiving cash to influence a PAC report.
"We have asked Speaker Justin
Muturi and the Clerk of the National Assembly to approve the summoning of Raila
because we believe he will be useful to our committee," said a PAC member
yesterday.
Raila and fellow Cord principals
Kalonzo Musyoka and Moses Wetang’ula met Ababu yesterday to discuss the issue.
It is understood that Ababu
apologised for surreptitiously taping Raila, insisting that the intention was
not to embarrass the opposition leader but to expose MPs who were accusing him
yet they themselves had been bribed.
Namwamba and three members of the
PAC will be the first witnesses to be grilled by the Powers and Privileges
Committee over allegations of corruption in Parliament’s most powerful
watchdog.
?The Powers and Privileges
Committee, which held its first meeting on the issue yesterday, said MPs will
appear before them tomorrow to give evidence on what they know about the
corruption allegations.
?The chairperson of the committee,
Moses Cheboi (Kuresoi North), however said it was to meet later yesterday to
agree on the rest of MPs to appear before them as well as finalise timelines.
?It was understood that the three
MPs who will appear alongside Namwamba are the members who have traded
accusations against each other over who is to blame.
?Cheboi also disclosed that the
committee had agreed that Mohammed Elmi (Tarbaji), Joseph Lekuton (Laisamis)
and Ali Wario (Bura) be the three members to join the 10-member committee in
the probe.
?According to Cheboi, the three
legislators are the most neutral members as they have not taken a position on
the matter and have served more than one term.
? ?He also disclosed that the
committee will be sending out an advertisement asking members of the public who
are conversant with the matter to send their petitions to them.
A source at Capital Hill, the former
Prime Minister’s private office, said that Raila appeared upset with the turn
of events and asked party members to exercise restraint to avoid Jubilee
capitalising on their differences to make political capital.
"Jakom came in not happy at
all. He appeared disappointed but sat calmly as he listened to members. But he
was categorical that the issue was weighty and required sobriety."
The source described the meeting as
stormy, with accusations and counter-accusations rending the air.
"Yes, there were some heated
exchanges, but tempers cooled down after Jakom intervened and told members to
be sober and respect one another's opinion."
Ababu is said to have stuck to his
guns that he had not received any bribe and challenged members with evidence to
table it, our source added, saying the Budalang’i MP insisted on clearing his
name above all else.
A faction of ODM leaders have called
for Ababu's sacking as secretary general of the party, citing a betrayal of
trust.
"If indeed its true that
Namwamba taped Raila without consent, then that smacks of betrayal of trust and
a sign of bad faith whatever reason there could be," said ODM Treasurer
Timothy Bosire.
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