The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has come out to clarify its position following President William Ruto’s recent remarks alleging that Members of Parliament (MPs) were bribed to influence legislation.
According to the Commission, no formal evidence has been submitted linking MPs to the bribery allegations raised by the Head of State.
Speaking during a press briefing on Friday, August 22, EACC Chief Executive Officer Abdi Mohamud confirmed that while the agency is investigating several legislators, the ongoing cases have nothing to do with the bribery claims made by the President.
“Yes, we have ongoing investigations involving some Members of Parliament. However, these are not related to claims of MPs receiving bribes in Parliament or within committee work.
What we are looking into are about seven cases concerning the Constituency Development Fund (CDF), which are currently active in different parts of the country,” Mohamud stated.
He went on to explain that the cases strictly involve the management and possible misuse of the National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF). According to him, none of the files currently under review at EACC are tied to allegations of MPs being compromised within the House or its committees.
“As of now, there are no investigations targeting bribery within Parliament—whether in the National Assembly or the Senate,” the CEO stressed.
High-Profile Cases Underway
Mohamud further revealed that the EACC has been handling several weighty cases over the past few months. In the last eight months alone, the agency has concluded 89 high-profile investigations and forwarded the files to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for further legal action.
The concluded cases involve prominent leaders and top government officials. These include four current and former county governors, two sitting Cabinet Secretaries, former Cabinet Secretaries, Principal Secretaries, Chief Executive Officers, Managing Directors, and heads of various state corporations.
At the same time, the EACC is still pursuing investigations against five current governors and 11 former governors. According to Mohamud, the cases under probe involve serious allegations such as embezzlement of public funds, conflict of interest, money laundering, and acquisition of unexplained wealth.
“These are sensitive cases, and they touch on the misuse of taxpayers’ money as well as unethical conduct by public officials. The Commission is working carefully to ensure strong evidence is presented for prosecution,” he explained.
Ruto’s Remarks Spark Debate
President Ruto’s remarks on Monday, August 18, sparked mixed reactions across the political divide. While addressing a joint parliamentary group meeting that brought together legislators from the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) and the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), the President openly accused some MPs of pocketing bribes in order to block a crucial piece of legislation.
He alleged that certain members of Parliament had been paid to oppose the recently enacted anti-money laundering law.
“Do you know, for example, that a few members of your committee were given Ksh10 million so that you don’t pass the anti-money laundering law? Did you receive the money?” Ruto posed during the meeting, pointing to what he described as a worrying trend of corruption inside both the National Assembly and the Senate.
The President’s comments have since triggered heated public debate, with critics questioning the seriousness of the allegations and allies calling for swift investigations to protect the integrity of Parliament.
Meanwhile, the EACC has maintained that it will continue focusing on cases where evidence is available and has promised to intensify its crackdown on corruption across both national and county governments.
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