President William Ruto has made a bold and unprecedented accusation against Parliamentary committees, claiming they demand bribes from members of the Executive and county governments in exchange for writing favorable reports or overlooking misconduct during oversight proceedings.
Speaking during the National Devolution Conference in Homa Bay on Wednesday, August 13, 2025, President Ruto condemned what he described as a growing culture of corruption within the Legislature, warning that Parliament must also be subjected to accountability and integrity checks.
“While I agree with the sentiments expressed by the Speaker of the Senate, and he has made a solid statement on holding governors and county governments to account, the Legislature must also be held to account,” President Ruto said firmly.
Ruto’s Response to Senate Speaker’s Remarks
The President’s remarks came in response to Senate Speaker Amason Kingi, who had earlier urged greater scrutiny of governors and county administrations. While Ruto acknowledged the importance of county-level oversight, he stressed that lawmakers themselves cannot remain immune from scrutiny.
“Something is going on in our Legislature that we must call out,” he warned.
Allegations of Bribery in Oversight Committees
President Ruto revealed that officials—ranging from cabinet ministers to governors—are allegedly being coerced into paying bribes when summoned to appear before parliamentary committees.
According to Ruto, the bribes are demanded in two key instances:
- To influence the writing of favorable reports that shield officials from negative findings.
- To ensure parliamentary committees “look the other way” instead of exposing wrongdoing in national or county government activities.
“It is not possible that committees of Parliament demand to be bribed, demand to be paid for them to write reports or look the other way for what is happening in either the national or county governments,” Ruto emphasized.
Implications for Governance and Public Trust
These allegations, if proven true, strike at the heart of Kenya’s governance system. Parliamentary committees are designed to serve as watchdogs that uphold transparency, accountability, and ethical conduct. However, Ruto’s revelations suggest a compromise of the oversight role, potentially eroding public confidence in legislative processes.
Political analysts note that such corruption—especially within the oversight bodies—undermines devolution, service delivery, and the rule of law, as decisions become driven by personal gain rather than public interest.
Call for Comprehensive Accountability
The President’s public statement signals a growing push for system-wide accountability, not just for the Executive and county governments, but also for the Legislature itself. His comments are expected to spark political debate and could prompt investigations into the alleged corrupt practices within Parliament.
Ruto’s message was clear: “Accountability must be universal.”
