Barasa, Koyoo kicked out of House team as bribery probe starts

National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi has stated that a probe on allegations that Kenyan legislators were bribed to shoot down the contraband sugar probe will begin on Wednesday next week.

Speaker Muturi also asked Kimilili MP Didmus Barasa and his Muhoroni counterpart James Onyango Koyoo to recuse themselves from the Powers and Privileges Committee until the matter on bribery is determined.

He further rejected an appeal by some Members of Parliament to have the rejected sugar report reintroduced to the floor of the House.

Parliament recently came under fire after claims emerged that some MPs received kickbacks of between Ksh.10,000 and Ksh.30,000 — depending on one’s political clout — to reject the sugar report prepared by the joint committees of Trade and Industry as well as that of Agriculture.

This was after a heated debate and emotional talk back characterised proceedings of the National Assembly on Thursday, August 9 as MPs debated and finally threw out the entire contraband sugar probe report.

The speaker, on August 12, 2018, said “I have instructed the Clerk of the National Assembly to immediately write to the members who have been quoted in sections of the media citing incidences of bribery within the precincts of parliament; inviting them to share their testimonies or any information that they may have with the Powers and Privileges Committee.”