Expose corrupt MPs, officials
Nov 19, 2002
THE director for information at the Movement secretariat, Ofwono Opondo, on November 2, 2002 during a Capital Gang talk show, made startling allegations that two Members of Parliament extorted sh80m from an Asian tycoon promising to fix his tax problems
THE director for information at the Movement secretariat, Ofwono Opondo, on November 2, 2002 during a Capital Gang talk show, made startling allegations that two Members of Parliament extorted sh80m from an Asian tycoon promising to fix his tax problems.
As the country was anxiously waiting to know the errant MPs, Ofwono came up with another damning allegation that he had received complaints that some members of the Parliamentary Committee on Local Government Accounts were blackmailing district accounting officers to extort money from them.
These allegations come at a time when the Local Government Accounts Committee (LGAC) headed by Lt. James Kinobe (Katikamu North) is grilling Chief Administrative Officers (CAOs) and district accounting officers, about financial irregularities.
The LGAC is a new phenomenon in Parliament. Its establishment was a landmark step taken by the current 7th Parliament. The committee must be given support. It has put the CAOs on their toes.
Every year, the government allocates billions of shillings to the local governments under the decentralisation policy.
There are reports of serious corruption at the level of local governments (district, municipality, sub-county, et cetera).
The local councils appear too susceptible to corruption. The establishment of the LGAC was therefore a step in the right direction. The committee is doing a good job, though its methods may be unorthodox.
Nonetheless, the bribery allegations should be investigated either by the Parliamentary Committee on Rules, Discipline and Privileges or the Inspectorate of Government, for the image and integrity of Parliament and democratic governance. It is possible that these allegations are baseless and are originated by the corrupt officials who want to frustrate parliamentary investigations.
The allegations could also be politically motivated, calculated to embarrass and check critical voices in the House.
Whatever the case, the allegations have cast a shadow on the image of Parliament. When state institutions like Parliament, the judiciary, police and civil service are perceived to be rotten, democratic governance is undermined. When public confidence in the institutions is eroded, the consequence could be political anarchy and subsequently dictatorial rule.
If there are MPs who are corrupt, they ought to be smoked out. It’s not far-fetched to say that there could be MPs using their positions to get money fraudulently. This has ever happened in other countries, even in the wealthy countries were legislators are paid more hefty allowances.
John Kakande
As the country was anxiously waiting to know the errant MPs, Ofwono came up with another damning allegation that he had received complaints that some members of the Parliamentary Committee on Local Government Accounts were blackmailing district accounting officers to extort money from them.
These allegations come at a time when the Local Government Accounts Committee (LGAC) headed by Lt. James Kinobe (Katikamu North) is grilling Chief Administrative Officers (CAOs) and district accounting officers, about financial irregularities.
The LGAC is a new phenomenon in Parliament. Its establishment was a landmark step taken by the current 7th Parliament. The committee must be given support. It has put the CAOs on their toes.
Every year, the government allocates billions of shillings to the local governments under the decentralisation policy.
There are reports of serious corruption at the level of local governments (district, municipality, sub-county, et cetera).
The local councils appear too susceptible to corruption. The establishment of the LGAC was therefore a step in the right direction. The committee is doing a good job, though its methods may be unorthodox.
Nonetheless, the bribery allegations should be investigated either by the Parliamentary Committee on Rules, Discipline and Privileges or the Inspectorate of Government, for the image and integrity of Parliament and democratic governance. It is possible that these allegations are baseless and are originated by the corrupt officials who want to frustrate parliamentary investigations.
The allegations could also be politically motivated, calculated to embarrass and check critical voices in the House.
Whatever the case, the allegations have cast a shadow on the image of Parliament. When state institutions like Parliament, the judiciary, police and civil service are perceived to be rotten, democratic governance is undermined. When public confidence in the institutions is eroded, the consequence could be political anarchy and subsequently dictatorial rule.
If there are MPs who are corrupt, they ought to be smoked out. It’s not far-fetched to say that there could be MPs using their positions to get money fraudulently. This has ever happened in other countries, even in the wealthy countries were legislators are paid more hefty allowances.
John Kakande