The Parliament of Kenya is in turmoil as MPs call for the immediate punishment of Juja MP George Koimburi.
Speaking at a church, Koimburi alleged that MPs who supported the withdrawn Finance Bill 2024 were bribed with Ksh 2 million.
The legislators have come out guns blazing over the claims after Koimburi wrote a letter to the Speaker of the National Assembly Moses Wetang’ula, apologising for his comments.
The move by the Juja MP has sparked outrage among lawmakers, who are demanding accountability and transparency, asking the Speaker to punish him.
Mathira MP Eric Wamumbi was vocal in his condemnation, emphasizing the need for stringent action against Koimburi.
"We don't want Koimburi to come and give an explanation. We heard what he said. For these members to redeem their image and dignity, Koimburi must be punished. For this house to continue, Koimburi must be punished. Those members who voted no must tell us whether they were paid, we voted yes of our own volition," stated Wamumbi.
The allegations have not only tarnished the reputation of Parliament but have also resulted in financial and reputational damage to the MPs, as highlighted by Tigania West MP John Mutunga.
"This letter has caused us a lot of pain and expenses. Wherever we go, we are required first of all to deliver the Ksh 2 million before you do anything. We are in a situation where Members of Parliament are branded in this country and the circumstances under which this allegation was made were very severe.”
“We are in a situation where we need to redeem our image and Koimburi only put fuel in a burning fire. We do not need Koimburi to come and give us stories, we should tell him what we have gone through so that he may be able to suffer a bit," Mutunga asserted.
Nairobi Woman Representative Esther Passaris echoed these sentiments, underscoring the broader implications of the allegations on the integrity of Parliament.
"In the public, everybody thinks parliament has been under state capture and when you have a member of parliament that goes out there and says that he was paid Ksh 2 million to vote yes and he declined, it means that parliamentarians cannot make decisions on their own.”
“When an honourable member makes such a statement, he should be put to strict proof. If he cannot actually substantiate whatever statement he made in public and we forgive him, then it means we are coercing him to withdraw. We don't want him to withdraw, let him prove to us that he was offered two million. If he lied about it then he should be punished," Passaris declared.
It is now upon the Powers and Privilege Committee of the 13th Parliament to institute punishment against the embattled legislator.
