Kipchumba Murkomen, the Elgeyo Marakwet senator and Majority leader in the house has come out asking the President and his deputy to address the graft claims that have impaired the government.
Several Cabinet Secretaries have been put on the spot over corruption allegations and illegal tender issuance.
This follows media reports linking several Cabinet secretaries to briberies to facilitate issuance of tenders to an Italian company.
“The President should speak on the matter to change the perception that in every project being implemented, money has been stolen like the case of dams,” he senator said yesterday when he defended the Sh17 billion literacy programme for laptops.
He goes on,
The government has opted out of the project in favour of computer laboratories. According to Murkomen, silence by the Head of State on matters that are already in the public domain is entrenching perception that his government is corrupt. “The President should take the lead and inspire confidence in the nation,”
Where were we?
He expressed disappointment that every single day, the news is awash with claims of huge sums amount of money arguable to have been stolen.
Migori Senator Ochillo Ayacko stood on a point of order and asked if Murkomen doubted the credibility of the office of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to probe the mega scandals that have implicated top State officials.
“Do you doubt DCI George Kinoti capacity to discharge his duties? That particular officer cannot come to defend himself here (plenary),” he stated.
However, Murkomen denied censuring any officer, only insisting to establish the truth concerning the mega projects. “We don’t know is everything said is the truth. We know there are some institutions that have been used to kill others and funds re-allocated to other projects. Systems have been misused,” he said.
“Where were we? Were we sleeping when this money was stolen in one year?” he asked.
We have a perpetual nation for pessimism.”