Monday, July 8, 2024 - Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna and Narok Senator Ledama Olekina faced public backlash after their joint effort to pass an amendment to the Conflict-of-Interest Bill.
Ledama tabled an amendment in the Senate to allow state officials to do business directly with the government, which could enhance corruption and bad governance.
In May, Sifuna was among the 25 senators who passed the amendment, which was then referred to the National Assembly for approval before President William Ruto's assent.
Their actions angered Kenyans, who questioned their integrity since they had previously criticized the current regime for bad governance.
The rage by Kenyans came after the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) came out all guns blazing at the Senate which it accused of crippling its fight against corruption.
But in their defense, the two senators accused the EACC of misleading the public.
According to Sifuna, the anti-graft body was still at liberty to prosecute anyone implicated in a conflict of interest, the new law notwithstanding.
"Outrage is good lakini can we agree that it needs to be informed outrage.
"The EACC is over-sensationalizing the Senate Amendments to cover their own failures.
"The law in Kenya still gives the commission power to prosecute anyone for conflict. I’ll find time to explain the amendments we voted for. One by one," said Sifuna.
On his part, Ledama faulted the EACC for what he said was its ineffective fight against corruption.
The senator suggested the anti-graft agency had failed in its mandate and was thus seeking scapegoats to cover for the failures.
"EACC is doing what they do best! Talk, talk, and talk about nothing … let them continue exposing their fakeness! They seem to be high on meth, but soon they will come down!" he said.
The bill's initial contents barred any public officer from dealing with a state entity in a contractual relationship for the supply of goods, services, or works.
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