A team of detectives from the DCI and the EACC is set to start investigating allegations that some MPs received bribes to shoot down the report on contraband sugar.
The legislators are alleged to have received bribes in August to reject the report on the importation of illegal and contaminated sugar.
A source within Parliament told the Star an advance team has visited Parliament Buildings ahead of the start of the probe.
Speaker of the National Assembly Justin Muturi told the Star the House did its part and it is upon the Committee on Implementation to ensure the EACC and the DCI act on the resolutions they made.
“The report is normally forwarded to the agencies to act,” Muturi told the Star on the phone yesterday.
Director of Criminal Investigations George Kinoti promised to swing into action, saying those found culpable will face the law.
He said no one is above the law in the war on corruption. “Once this report is with us, I promise we will act. There will be no sacred cows on this war on corruption. Take my word,” he said.
The MPs amended a House report to have the EACC and the DCI narrow down their investigations to only 10 MPs.
“Based on the oral submissions by the witnesses, it is apparent that some members may have been involved in some forms of impropriety,” the report says.
During investigations by the Muturi-led team, Kimilili MP Didmus Barasa told the committee he saw Wajir woman representative Fatuma Gedi giving out Sh10,000 to MPs to influence them to vote in a particular way.
He claimed Gedi offered him an envelope during a plenary sitting but he rejected it “because his conscience could not allow”.
The first time legislator also told the team that Sirisia MP John Waluke witnessed Gedi attempting to bribe him.
Both Gedi and Waluke denied the claims when they appeared before the committee.
Gedi said she never had any interactions before with Barasa and she had only learnt of him through the media when he made the allegations against her.
Matayos MP Geoffrey Odanga told the team that Kuresoi South MP Joseph Tonui informed him that Sh20,000 was being given out to members.
Kiambu woman representative Gathoni Wamuchomba said she noticed unusual movements among members in the lounge and lobby before the sitting in which the sugar report was considered.
Wamuchomba said she did not see Gedi give out bribes.
Gedi said the detectives should go for those who made the claims.
She said she will be exonerated should the two agencies investigate the claims. “I cannot panic. I welcome the move and when the investigations are started, the focus should be on those who made the claims. My conscience is clear, I was never involved in those things,” she said.
Nominated MP Godfrey Osotsi is among the 15 MPs who appeared before the committee.
He said he was invited by the committee as he had faulted Parliament for failing to adopt the report.
“There are those who made claims about bribery and there are those who made general comments. Not everyone who was called into that meeting is to go to the DCI. I’m not in that category,” Ososti said.
The other MPs who appeared before the committee included Samuel Atandi (Alego Usonga), Ayub Savula (Lugari) and Makokha Murunga (Matungu).
Others were Simba Arati (Dagoretti North), James K’Oyoo (Muhoroni), Jane Kihara (Naivasha) and Nyeri woman representative Rahab Mukami.