MP COLLUDING WITH STATE OFFICERS TO FRUSTRATE EACC

An MP yesterday accused a National Assembly committee chairperson of working in cahoots with officers at the State Law Office to frustrate the operations of the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission.

Homa Bay Town MP Peter Kaluma blamed the Justice and Legal Affairs Committee chairman Samuel Chepkonga (Ainabkoi) of a conspiracy to force out of office the EACC commissioners.

“The EACC commissioners are being intimidated and coerced to resign from their offices to let the government to appoint friendly commissioners,” Kaluma said.

Efforts to get a comment from Chepkonga failed as he did not answer phone calls or SMS sent to his phone.

The committee prepares to grill the EACC chairman Mumo Matemu and vice chair Irene Keino over allegations of gross misconduct contained in a petition filed in the House.

There are also claims the commissioners are being forced out of office after they claimed not to have been involved in the compilation of the list of 175 individuals the commission is investigating for corruption allegations.

The list was presented to Parliament last week by President Uhuru Kenyatta in his State of the Nation Address. 

Yesterday, Kaluma expressed outrage against Chepkonga for allegedly attending a meeting at the State Law Office where two EACC commissioners were forced to resign and promised ambassadorial positions.

Jane Onsongo claimed to have attended the meeting has resigned, citing power struggles between the chairman and the secretariat.

Kaluma faulted the move to attempt to force Keino out of office.

“Keino who hasn’t resigned yet was also summoned and allegedly intimidated and forced to resign by Solicitor General Njee Muturi, President’s adviser Abdikadir Mohamed and Chepkonga,” Kaluma said.

The MP has also questioned how Chepkonga intends to chair the committee’s meeting today to hear the petition to remove the two EACC commissioners.