A report released on Tuesday, February 25 by a private firm, Mizani Africa, sparked a heated debate on the floor of Parliament on Wednesday, February 26.
The report had ranked constituencies in the country based on utilization of the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) kitty, with Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro scooping the top prize as his constituency was ranked the best.
Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) chair John Mbadi tore into the awards' organizers describing them as 'conmen', with Parliament Speaker Justin Muturi giving a select committee two weeks to look into the organization and present their findings.
In his speech, Mbadi further claimed that fiery Embakasi South MP Babu Owino was allegedly approached by Mizani seeking a bribe to rank him favourably.
Mbadi particularly voiced his displeasure with ODM lawmakers, Mvita MP Abdulswamad Nassir and Uriri MP Mark Nyamita, who presented their awards to party leader Raila Odinga after being ranked second and third respectively.
"Why do we need the committee to deal with every quack in the streets?
"My only concern is these MPs who go to everything when they are invited by people whose character we don't even know. I saw Abdulswamad, a very loyal member of my party, taking (the award) to Baba (Raila) and putting him to shame. That is what annoyed me.
"The registration of this institution is in doubt, it is questionable. How can you take the report of such an institution to Baba?" he posed.
Mbadi also revealed that the CDF manager in his constituency had received a questionnaire via e-mail but failed to respond on time.
Igembe North MP Maoka Maore called for the firm's directors to be summoned to shed light on the methodology they used in coming up with the rankings.
"Mr Speaker, I want to state that the committee will be able to summon this entity called Mizani Africa and the CDF board so they can give to the committee the scientific methodology used and the capabilities they have in both resources and personnel to traverse the 290 constituencies in order to get any information they may purport to give," he stated.
Speaker Justin Muturi gave two weeks for the committee to present its findings after the loud MPs caused a furore in Parliament over the rankings.
"The select committee is a committee of this house is in a better position to find out with the board and to report to the house who these people are," Muturi stated.
Watch a video of part of the parliamentary proceedings below:
