Outrage greeted accusations that MPs had been paid to shoot down a report on imported sugar that cost Kenyans Sh10 billion in lost taxes and which exposed consumers to health hazards.
In the most ignoble scene yet, lawmakers were seen openly scrambling for Sh30,000 allegedly dished out to shoot down the report.
It all began ten minutes before the afternoon sitting with the suspect movement of legislators to a room in the New Wing Bar of the Senate where the ‘facilitation’ fee was quickly dished out.
The lawmakers soon formed a long queue as an MP from Rift Valley held a list allegedly containing names of beneficiaries. It was not clear the source of the money or whom it was intended to shield from indictment.
“We cannot pass a report whose members cannot agree on anything. I am aware of some members meeting before the session to share some loot but we will shoot it down purely on our own conviction,” an MP who sought anonymity shouted.
ANC leader Musalia Mudavadi faulted the National Assembly, arguing that it had betrayed the trust that Kenyans had placed in their elected representatives.
“The National Assembly showed shameful display of complicity.Its action has emboldened sugar barons, aided evasion of tax and flies in the face of President [Uhuru] Kenyatta’s anti-corruption crusade. It has condemned cane farmers to servitude and killed the hope reviving local sugar industry,” Mr Mudavadi said.
Funyula MP Oundo Mudenyo, who was a member of the joint committee, also hit out at Parliament, saying that the committee had worked under intense pressure and tight deadlines to unmask those culpable, only for the report to be rejected even with amendments.
“MPs never bothered to read the report. They only checked the recommendations and when it touched the sacred cows, they decided to shoot it down,” he said in protest.
Nominated MP Godfrey Osotsi said the rejection of the report was a victory for cartels and a big blow to thousands of farmers who eke out a living through cane farming. The institution of Parliament that is supposed to protect the public has turned against them,” Mr Osotsi said.
Muhoroni MP James K’Oyoo accused the Speaker of gagging the debate, which he said negated the true intent of President Kenyatta to meet the sugar deficit in the country.
He warned that the outcome of the vote had opened a floodgate for unscrupulous dealers to bring sugar laced with poisons into the country.
“There were missing gaps in the report we wanted to remedy through the amendments. Now a good report has been trashed.
“MPs failed to exhibit patriotism and as a result the country has been left in a state of hopelessness,” Mr Koyoo lamented.
The multimillion bribery scheme involving members of Parliament to influence the outcome of the report in which Kenya lost more than Sh10 billion in taxes has come to light.
Parliament rejected the report prepared by a joint committee ostensibly on the grounds that the team ignored its terms of reference and did not take into consideration witness statements.
The Saturday Nation can authoritatively reveal that millions of shillings changed hands as shadowy figures sought to influence the debate so that some top government officials implicated by the report could be let off the hook.
On Thursday morning journalists wards of crisp Sh1,000 notes stashed in a blue envelope, which one MP confided contained Sh30,000.
The money had been sent through an emissary by a government official.
He said other people unhappy with the report might have sent their own emissaries.