Parliament has distanced itself from the allegations that Members of Parliament including those who subscribe to the opposition were paid Sh 40 million in cash to “thank” them for passing the supplementary budget.
Reports of MPs receiving money emerged last week but it was not until this week when NUP ordered its legislators to return the money, that some MPs admitted receiving the money.
NUP leadership alleged that NRM members were given the money in cash at Parliament while opposition MPs received their bounty from the home of Anita Among, the speaker of Parliament.
However, in a statement, Chris Obore, the director Communication and Public Affairs at Parliament, said the allegations [of receiving money] are not true.
“Parliament distances itself from the alleged payment as claimed by the NUP, and treats it as a deliberate, persistent smear campaign against the leadership of Parliament. Any payment to MPs by the commission is charged on the consolidated fund account and remitted to an individual MP’s bank accounts,” said Obore.
Obore said if indeed there has been any such payment by Parliament to MPs outside the known procedures as the NUP claims, this would have been the right time for the party to interest the accountability committees, chaired by its members, in the matter with evidence for action.
“As leaders, the MPs who NUP claims received the money are duty-bound under Section 10 of the Penal Code Act 2002 (as amended) to declare the same to the Inspectorate of Government for proper investigation. Short of the above, the statement is an effort to tarnish the institution of Parliament,” he said.
Obore said it is unfortunate that a section of the media has published the same allegations, yet they ought to interrogate these kinds of claims with professional fairness and rigour.
“The image of Parliament should not be sacrificed at the altar of internal party intrigues. Parliament belongs to all citizens, not an individual political party, therefore; respect to Parliament is respect to citizens,” he said.
