The Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Justice and Legal Affairs, MP George Gitonga Muragura, has denied claims that the committee and its members solicited Ksh10 million in bribes during the consideration of the Anti-Money Laundering and Combating of Terrorism Financing Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2025.
Speaking during a National Assembly session on Tuesday, August 19, the MP refuted President William Ruto’s allegation that the passage of the Bill was influenced by bribery, arguing that the Act passed all the required processes before it was considered a Bill.
‘’On behalf of the Justice and Legal Affairs Committee, I wish to categorically state that the committee did not solicit and did not receive any inducement of any kind whatsoever from any member or quarter in its consideration of the Anti-Money Laundering and Combating of Terrorism Financing Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2025, as alleged,’’ the MP said.
President Ruto has been criticising the National Assembly, accusing MPs of undermining Parliament's credibility.
Speaking during the joint Parliamentary meeting between ODM and UDA MPs on Monday, President Ruto alleged that a section of the 15-member Anti-Money Laundering Bill committee members received up to Ksh10 million to share across the assembly so that the Bill could pass.
‘’Let me ask you, MPs who are here, do you, for example, know that a few members of your committee collected 10 million so that you could pass that law on anti-money laundering?" he posed.
In response to the allegations, the chairperson insisted that the committee and its members were fully aware of the principles of leadership, ethics and integrity that govern the work of MPs.
‘’The Committee and the members condemn and abhor corruption at any practice that is likely to erode these principles that are the substratum of the public trust that the people of Kenya have entrusted in this institution in the house,’’ the chairperson continued.
Further, the committee posed tough questions to the parliament, demanding to know which MPs solicited the said Ksh10 million or any other inducement in relation to the consideration and passage of the Bill as alleged by the president.
The committee also demanded to know who issued the said funds, the purpose of the inducement, and if the allegations have been reported to the relevant law enforcement entities.
‘’For avoidance of doubt, the position of the committee and its members is that any member of the NA or any other individual solicited and or received any inducement concerning the consideration and passage of the Bill, as alleged, the Member is a criminal and ought to be investigated by the EACC, DCI and Parliament,’’ the MP continued.
President William Ruto assented to the Anti-Money Laundering and Combating of Terrorism Financing Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2025, at State House, Nairobi on Tuesday, June 17.
