URP leaders accuse allies of corruption

President Uhuru Kenyatta shares a word with his deputy William Ruto at a past function. MPs allied to United Republican Party (URP) said high ranking government officials wield massive influence and make decisions without the approval of the President and his Deputy. Photo/FILE  NATION

In Summary

• Speaking in Kericho County at the weekend, the MPs said that these well-placed officials had on several occasions awarded themselves illegal authority to approve actions behind the backs of the President and his deputy.
• The MPs were attending the funeral of Mama Lucy Taplelei Yegon, the mother of Kipkelion West MP Jackson Rop.

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By TIMOTHY KEMEI
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A row looms after some MPs allied to one wing of the Jubilee Coalition claimed there were two centres of power within the government.

The MPs allied to United Republican Party (URP) said the high ranking government officials wield massive influence and make decisions without the approval of President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto.

Speaking in Kericho County at the weekend, the MPs said that these well-placed officials had on several occasions awarded themselves illegal authority to approve actions behind the backs of the President and his deputy.

However, the legislators refused to reveal their identities, with Nandi Hills Member of Parliament Alfred Keter only saying that the individuals in questions “were well known”.

“We know them. Whenever Mr Ruto goes to The Hague for the hearing of his case, they do their own things. They even run things when President Kenyatta is in the country alone, but is too busy to notice anything,” he said.

He added that the same people were behind the highly inflated cost of constructing Mombasa-Kampala railway project launched by the President and Mr Ruto in Mombasa last week. The railway will cost Sh1.2 trillion

The MPs were attending the funeral of Mama Lucy Taplelei Yegon, the mother of Kipkelion West MP Jackson Rop.

“The internationally accepted cost of constructing a standard gauge electric rail is $2 million per kilometre. Why are we spending $6 million per kilometre here? There are thieves in the government who are behind this,” he said.

Bomet East MP Bernard Bett agreed with his colleague, adding that there were officials in the government who were seeking to enrich themselves through involvement in irregular tendering, procurement and contracting processes.

While admitting that many legislators were not in agreement with the project costs, he defended President Kenyatta and Mr Ruto, saying they could have been kept in the dark about the expected costs by those who had been put in charge of the project.