The Council of Imams and Preachers of Kenya (CIPK) and the Commission For Human Rights and Justice (CFHRJ) have threatened to prosecute Members of Parliament (MPs) who attended the recently concluded FIFA World Cup in Russia.
In a statement issued by the Organizing Secretary Sheikh Mohamed Khalifa, CIPK has demanded that 20 legislators who attended the football event at the taxpayer's expense refund the monies or risk prosecution.
On its part, CFHRJ, through its Executive Director Julius Ogogoh, faulted the MPs over embarking on the trip while many Kenyans are still languishing in poverty.
[caption caption="Siaya Senator James Orengo with Nominated Senator Millicent Omanga in Russia"]
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"We want those MPs who went to Russia to return the money or we will sue them for misusing taxpayers money," Ogogoh warned.
The trip that was allegedly meant "to benchmark how to host an international event" was marred with controversy over the financing from the public coffers.
Homa Bay legislator Peter Kaluma, one of the beneficiaries, defended the trip indicating that the taxpayers were justified to pay for the trip since the MPs were there as civil servants.
"Even if the government were not to pay for this trip I would pay it but the question is why should I pay while am here as a Member of Parliament from Kenya.
"Here people are asking why we did not use the economy class flight but why should you do that when you are representing the government?" Kaluma posed.
14 members of the National Assembly and 6 Senators went to Russia at the taxpayers' expense including Siaya Senator James Orengo, Nominated Senator Millicent Omanga, Cleophas Malala (Kakamega) and Aaron Cheruyiot (Kericho).
[caption caption="Nominated Senator Millicent Omanga in Russia"]
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A social media uproar ensued forcing Senator Omanga to clear the air on the controversial World Cup trip after photos of her having a good time in Russia surfaced.
Omanga alleged that her trip to Moscow was not at the taxpayers' expense but a self-sponsored adventure which she has been undertaking every four years since 2002 when she was aged 20 years.
