Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale has called for the resignation of the State Department of Land Principal Secretary, Nixon Korir, over alleged involvement in a Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) land scandal.
Speaking during a Senate proceeding on Thursday, April 17, Khalwale claimed that the PS has already been sued by renowned Kenyan lawyer P.L.O. Lumumba over alleged embezzlement of funds meant for the compensation of people whose land was affected during the establishment of the SGR.
Khalwale asserted that the resignation of the PS would pave the way for an in-depth probe into the matter.
"It is only today that it has become public that Professor Lumumba has sued PS Nixon Korir, because they have embezzled 184 families' money meant for compensation of areas where the SGR passed through. Parliament, we must wake up to some of these things because Lumumba should not be doing our work. By now, we should have removed Nixon Korir from office for investigations," he said.
"How do we investigate the PS when he is in control of all the data that the courts will require to nail him, and for this, Nixon Korir should step down as a PS and await the outcome of the investigation," he said.
However, during the same session, Migori Senator Eddy Oketch countered Khalwale and emphasised that the senator should table a 'substantive motion' in Parliament, given the seriousness of the allegations.
"The issue that he has brought to us is that there is a PS who he has alleged has embezzled some funds, who must resign, and he has used the word demand, which I respect because he is the whip who has demanded that," he said.
"The whip should be directed to give a substantive motion because this is a serious issue, especially where embezzlement has been involved," he said.
The call for Korir's resignation comes days after nominated Senator Gloria Orwoba called for the resignation of the Labour Cabinet Secretary, Alfred Mutua.
Speaking during a senate session on Wednesday, April 2, the senator accused the CS of tolerating job scams in the country.
Orwoba, who labelled the CS as incompetent, said that President William Ruto should sack the CS since he is unable to suppress this worrying trend that has affected many Kenyans, especially those seeking employment abroad.
"I want to call upon the president to fire the cabinet secretary of labour because he knows what is happening, and he knows exactly why we are upset," she said.
"This person is incompetent, and his interests have not been seen because he is not there for the people of Kenya, and I want to say this with all fairness: let him go home," she added.
