MP Applauds Move To Suspend Ababu From PAC

He noted that allegations of corruption in such a committee were serious and hence called on the chairman to resign from the position until investigations are complete.

Karani is now calling on the PAC Chairman to take responsibility for his actions, adding that all those involved in the graft allegations respect the probing committee and allow them to conduct their investigations without interference.

This calls come even as the National Assembly’s Powers and Privileges Committee on Monday embarks on a process of probing the operations of the public accounts committee following a litany of bribery allegations and general disorder within the watchdog committee.

The team, that will be chaired by Kuresoi Mp Moses Cheboi, has 21 days from to identify what ails the committee and recommend a remedy.

Sources in the committee disclosed that PAC was likely to be disbanded and a new team put in place.

Those pushing for the disbandment of the watchdog committee insist that the wrangles and claims of bribery had tainted the image of the house and cast doubts on Parliament’s ability to oversight the executive.

SECRET RECORDING

They said that only a reconstitution of PAC could save the National Assembly from further blushes

Namwamba, who is at the centre of bribery allegations, blames politics for the happenings in PAC.

Part of the evidence that Namwamba hopes to use to prove his innocence before the Powers and Privileges committee is a conversation he recorded secretly using his phone while engaging opposition leader Raila Odinga and two ODM mps over bribery allegations in PAC.

The conversation details how a permanent secretary gave a Sh1.5m bribe to PAC members to influence them to doctor a report on questionable expenditure running into billions of shillings.

Though 13 out of 26 PAC members have no confidence in his leadership of the watchdog committee, Namwamba says he will use all ammunition at his disposal to clear his name when he appears before the Powers and Privileges Committee even if it costs him the PAC job.

By Wangui Ngechu