Kenya leaders root for more action against those named in graft

Kenyan MPs at a past session in Parliament. Leaders have urged the President and the Prime Minister to be firm in the fight against corruption. Photo/FILE

By NATION Team
Posted Sunday, October 31 2010 at 22:39

Individuals implicated in corruption should be treated the same, former Defence minister Njenga Karume said on Sunday.

“Anyone who looted government wealth should be investigated and if found guilty appropriate action should be taken against them,” Mr Karume said.

In Mukurweini, Assistant minister Kabando wa Kabando said politicians were contravening the new constitution by spreading ethnic hate to undermine integrity and anti graft efforts.

Speaking in Kirinyaga, Gichugu MP Martha Karua asked President Kibaki and Mr Odinga to sack ministers involved in corruption.

“What the President and the Prime Minister have done is not enough as there are more ministers who need to be sacked and investigated,” Ms Karua said.

Ikolomani MP Boni Khalwale reminded Mr Odinga that he was a product of the reform agenda and should not be seen to defend ministers linked to corruption.

“For the PM to swear on camera that he will defend corruption, it is a big disappointment. We fear that institutions under him such as the Efficiency Monitoring Unit could be stifled in their work if this is the trend,” he said.

MPs Mithika Linturi and Luka Kigen said the PM should instead have used instruments of government to verify the allegations.

“If I were the PM I would have instituted investigations instead of just shouting and answering back,” Mr Kigen said.

At the same time, MPs from Nyanza supported the crackdown by Kacc on corrupt individuals in the country.

In Nyeri, Mathira MP Ephraim Maina called on all public officers with pending corruption cases to step down as required by the new laws.

“We are not only talking about ministers stepping down but all public officials with pending corruption cases in court,” he said.