Kenyan President William Ruto and ODM leader Raila Odinga jointly led the first-ever parliamentary group meeting between members of the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) and the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) in Nairobi. The meeting aimed to solidify their political alliance and discuss the implementation of the National Dialogue and Conciliation (NADCO) report, which includes ten agreed agendas. During the session, President Ruto condemned corruption within Parliament, alleging that some MPs had extorted up to KSh 150 million, including a claim that a governor paid such bribes to parliamentary committees. He specifically accused certain MPs of accepting KSh 10 million to pass the Anti-Money Laundering Bill and warned that those involved would be arrested and prosecuted. In response, Raila Odinga urged MPs to focus on oversight duties rather than soliciting funds. The allegations sparked protests among lawmakers, leading to the paralysis of committee business in the National Assembly, although Senate committees continued their meetings. In reaction to the corruption claims, President Ruto established a multi-agency team on corruption, comprising ten agencies including the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), National Intelligence Service (NIS), Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), with the Executive Office of the President chairing the group. Some parliamentarians questioned Ruto's moral authority to address corruption, citing broader national issues and executive branch involvement. Senators demanded that Speakers of the National Assembly and Senate summon President Ruto to disclose the names of MPs implicated in bribery, threatening impeachment if they fail to act. The joint UDA-ODM parliamentary meeting ended abruptly amid these tensions, highlighting ongoing divisions within the coalition despite efforts to maintain unity ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Why Ruto, Raila MPs' meeting in Karen ended hurriedly https://t.co/m9H4oHa9Oz
Je, unakubaliana kiasi gani na Rais Ruto kwamba baadhi ya wabunge ni wafisadi? Jiunge na @Loise_Wangui #NTVMashinani https://t.co/2SNZLNyAHj
NATIONAL ASSEMBLY sittings fail to kick off after MPs paralyse all committee business in protest over President Ruto's claims of extortion; only Senate committees met with stakeholders. https://t.co/osEpCjOIuY