Muturi Exposes Ruto’s Role in Kenya Kwanza’s Parliamentary Bribery

Former Public Service Cabinet Secretary Justin Muturi renewed his feud with President William Ruto as he accused the Head of State of being the mastermind behind rampant graft in Parliament.
Muturi specifically took issue with the Head of State’s recent calls to apprehend Members of Parliament over graft as he alleged Ruto used bribery to gain the favour of the parliamentary majority.
Last Monday, August 18, Ruto courted debate when he denounced graft in Parliament during a joint parliamentary group meeting between the Kenya Kwanza Alliance and the Orange Democratic Movement party, accusing parliamentary committees of operating “like open-air markets”.
The President specifically referred to the tendency of Members of Parliament to demand bribes from the executive, governors and ministries to influence legislation.
However, in a rejoinder, Muturi dismissed Ruto’s war on graft as false rhetoric, as he accused Ruto of being a beneficiary of the vice he was attempting to eradicate, two years into his presidential term.
“The first thing William Ruto did upon assuming power in 2022 was not to build a national consensus, strengthen the rule of law, or deliver on his campaign promises. No, his first political move was to raid the opposition benches,” Muturi claimed.
He went on, “Starved of numbers in Parliament, Ruto turned to the oldest trick in Kenya’s dirty political playbook: buying loyalty. He lured opposition MPs and independents to his side with promises of plum committee positions, cash inducements, and state patronage.”
Muturi insisted that an inquest into Parliament should inevitably lead back to State House, which he claimed was the source of graft. The former CS was also adamant that no actual cases would be fronted against MPs in the long run.
“If you are truly committed to ending graft in Parliament, then begin where it matters most, at the top.”
In his statement, Muturi demanded full disclosure of the inducements allegedly used to sway MPs in 2022, and an explanation of how a minority government instantly transformed into a commanding majority.
During the joint parliamentary group meeting, President Ruto cited specific sums, claiming that some MPs took up to Ksh10million to pass the Anti-Money Laundering Bill or Ksh150million  from county governments to block legislation.
To demonstrate resolve, Ruto announced the formation of a multi-agency task force to spearhead the battle against graft.
The High Court has since suspended the initiative over concerns that it bypassed constitutional mechanisms.