Deal Firmly Wth Graft, Nyeri MPs Tell Govt Kenya Times 11 May 2004 Page: 24
THREE Nyeri NARC MPs yesterday challenged the government to deal firmly with corrupt individuals within its ranks.
The three-Mutahi Kagwe (Mukurweini), Nderitu Gachagwa (Mathira) and Peter Muriithi (Nyeri Town) said that corruption was rife in the government and blamed the vice on a few individuals whom they said should be exposed and prosecuted as they were tainting the image of the government.
But Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister Kiraitu Murungi dismissed the allegations as false, unsubstantiated and unfounded accusations being levelled against the government.
In a press statement, the minister challenged individuals making such allegations to instead help investigators with any information in their possession. “Such accusations are meant to confuse Kenyans and portray the government as one not committed in the fight against corruption,” said the minister.
The MPs had in their statement called on the government to be sensitive and act on corruption accusations being levelled against top officials within its ranks to help reassure the public that they were committed to the fight against the vice.
The MPs who made the call in Nyeri after attending the District Constituencies Development Fund Committee meeting, said corruption should never be condoned and all those implicated in corrupt deals should carry their own crosses.
Mathira MP on his part denied claims by Finance minister David Mwiraria that donors had withheld Shs 300 billion because of the relentless wrangles in the ruling coalition.
Nyeri Town MP Murithi said that NARC government was elected on a platform of fighting corruption and it was unfortunate that the vice was re-emerging.
Their remarks come barely a day after eight other MPs drawn from across the political divide warned the president that his government risked losing public goodwill because of the shady deals among top officials. Investigations are being conducted into the Shs 2.7 billion-passport scandal.