Kiambu Senator Karungo Wa Thang’wa has accused President William Ruto of attempting to manipulate the Senate ahead of the impeachment hearings against Kericho Governor Erick Mutai.
In a statement on Tuesday, August 19, Thang’wa claimed that Ruto's remarks suggesting that Senators are bribed during impeachment proceedings were meant to set the stage for political control.
"By shouting that Senators are bribed during impeachments, he’s not suddenly discovering corruption, he’s laying ground to manipulate perception.
"We know money has exchanged hands before, but why raise it now, just as the Senate begins hearing the charges against Governor Erick Mutai of Kericho?" he posed.
Thang'wa argued that Ruto was creating a narrative that would allow State House to claim victory regardless of the outcome of the hearings.
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"It’s simple: he wants to corner the Senate into dancing to State House tunes. If we impeach, he takes credit. If we don’t, he says we were bought. That’s not fighting graft, that’s weaponizing the truth for political convenience,” he added.
Thang’wa urged Ruto to stop undermining independent institutions through what he termed as intimidation.
“Mr. President, stop trying to blackmail institutions. The Senate will not be intimidated by your preemptive tactics,” he concluded.
Speaking during the Kenya Kwanza-ODM Parliamentary Group meeting on Monday, August 18, Ruto accused senators of turning oversight proceedings into a marketplace, alleging that governors seeking to defend themselves often had to pay bribes.
He referred to instances of Ksh150 million being demanded during Senate sessions where governors appeared for grilling or impeachment.
"I am a consumer of raw intelligence every day. In the Senate, when a governor appears for grilling or impeachment, the chambers are nicknamed soko huru. Where does one even get Ksh150 million? Isn’t that money meant for counties?" he asked.
Ruto also spoke of alleged corruption at the National Assembly, announcing that MPs involved in soliciting and receiving bribes will be arrested.
He went on to reveal that some lawmakers received a Ksh10 million bribe to pass the Anti-Money Laundering Bill.
"Did you know that a few members of parliament collected Ksh10 million so that you could pass the Anti-Money laundering bill. Did you get the money?” he posed.
Ruto said the MPs collecting bribes to perform their legislative duties are destroying the credibility of Parliament and they will be arrested and charged.
“There are people who are destroying the credibility of parliament. They are collecting money in the name of Parliament. And most of the time, that money never gets to parliament; it gets to a few people.
"We are not going to shame them. We are going to arrest them. Whoever is giving and whoever is being given, we are going to sort them out," he said.
