Attempts by a parliamentary committee to refute corruption allegations made against it turned chaotic Thursday after members started shouting at one another.
The National Assembly’s Agriculture Committee appeared to have buried the hatchet when they called a press conference at Parliament Buildings to clear the air on the claims that they had been bribed to alter a report on the status of the sugar sector.
However, the conference turned chaotic when they could not agree on the status of the report that has been at the centre of the graft allegations.
During the media conference, the members said they had agreed to withdraw corruption claims against their chairman and other members who had been accused of benefiting from kickbacks.
When it came to the status of the report on the sugar crisis, Mumias MP Bernard Washiali fiercely opposed other members’ claims that they had agreed to remove names of individuals who had been adversely mentioned. The members hurriedly wound up the press address as members’ tempers began to flare.
INADEQUATE PROOF
Lugari MP Ayub Savula, who previously presented a copy of a bank slip that purported to show that Sh4 million was deposited in the bank account of the Committee Chairman Adan Nooru, said what he provided was inadequate to prove bribery claims against their leader.
“I withdraw the allegations. The evidence I provided was not enough to substantiate the allegations I made. I withdraw and apologise to those I mentioned,” said Mr Savula.
The committee sat for several hours yesterday morning in a bid to cleanse themselves of the allegations that have marred their sittings for the better part of this month.
-nation.co.ke
