Opposition chief Raila Odinga yesterday accused the government of corruption “at worrying proportions never witnessed in many years”.
The Cord leader said unless there is political goodwill from the top leaders, curbing public fleecing will remain a mirage for decades. Raila addressed delegates at Safari Park Hotel during the African Association of Public Accounts Committees of various Parliaments in Africa.
Speaking on the theme of political accountability, the Cord chief told MPs to be the true watchdogs of public funds and execute their oversight mandate without being compromised. “The executive cannot be trusted in overseeing itself. It is the responsibility of Parliament to hold the executive to account,” Raila said.
The opposition chief accused President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Jubilee administration of blatant interference with Parliament’s oversight role. He said the President’s tendency to call MPs to State House is a clear indication his government compromises lawmakers at the expense of public interest.
Raila said the hand of the executive in Parliament, especially public oversight committees, has been so glaring. He said Jubilee used its numerical advantage to dominate the Public Accounts Committee chaired by Rarieda MP Nicholas Gumbo.
“The executive cannot chair PAC but in Kenya we have seen attempts to do so. When you have the majority of members in the committee from the executive, do we expect it to oversight itself?” Raila said.
The Cord leader warned that beneficiaries of grand corruption have positioned themselves in powerful cartels in almost all sectors, keen to fight back when threatened. “Those driving expensive cars, building castles in the rural areas and apartments in high-end estates are beneficiaries of illicit cash,” Raila said.