National Assembly Majority Leader Parliament Kimani Ichung'wah has refuted claims of a falling out with President William Ruto.
In a statement posted on his official social media account on Wednesday August 20, the Kikuyu MP, who is a close ally of the president, urged Kenyans to ignore the news, which he said was intended to generate attention.
Ichungwah clarified that, although MPs have immense power, they have not threatened any government official, let alone the president.
The MP further affirmed that he will be at the forefront in working with the president, whom he noted is a fundamental piece in ensuring that the Kenya Kwanza administration fulfils its mandate to the Kenyan people.
"Ignore all this fake news from the gutter press designed to generate followers for their media outfits. While the Constitution gives Parliament immense powers as the legislature, we DO NOT threaten anybody, let alone the President, who is our team leader," Ichung'wah said.
"We work independently but with complementary roles to deliver on our agenda. That is what we are focused on and respect William Samoei Ruto not just as the President but also as our team leader," he added.
Ichung'wah, who acknowledged the need for presidential oversight in the government, affirmed that the Head of State has the right to call out and dispense his personal view on whatever goes on in either the Legislature, Executive, or the Judiciary.
"As the President, he has every right to state his views on any subject, including the work of the legislature, and call out what he may think needs to be rectified. That is the role he plays as President," Ichung'wah said.
"We respect that as much as we appreciate our role in oversight of the other arms of Government, as a legislature, we also recognise the need to uphold the dignity and integrity of the institution of Parliament, as the President has stated," he added.
The announcement by Ichung'wah comes two days after President Ruto warned that the government will apprehend and take legal action against Members of Parliament who are engaging in graft to perform their duties.
Ruto, who was speaking during a joint parliamentary group meeting between the Kenya Kwanza Alliance and the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party on Monday, August 18, claimed that the Majority of MPs and senators, especially those on the committees, were demanding bribes to influence Parliamentary outcomes.
“They are collecting money in the name of Parliament, and sometimes that money never gets to Parliament. Instead, it ends up in the pockets of a few individuals. We are not going to shame them; we are going to apprehend them,” Ruto said.
Seemingly responding to the president's statement, during Parliamentary session on Tuesday, August 19, Ichung'wah claimed that MPs had the power to initiate impeachment against members of the executive, including the president.
"This House has powers under this Constitution to impeach those in the Executive, and those in the Executive can do nothing to remove you from office," Ichungwah said.
"Therefore, Mr. Speaker, when we oversee the Judiciary and the Executive because we have that singular role as enshrined in this Constitution, we do not do it as a favour to anybody. Not to the president, not as a favour to those serving in the Executive. We do it on behalf of the people," he added.
