MP Kuria admits he received a Sh100,000 bribe to vote out Duale

Controversial lawmaker Moses Kuria has admitted that he received a Sh100,000 bribe to vote in Amos  Kimunya as National Assembly’s Majority Leader as a replacement of Aden Duale. 

In an interview with BBC, Kuria said that it was ‘not unusual for Kenyan lawmakers to be paid gifts and inducements’ to pass bills that favors government. 

According to the Gatundu lawmaker, the bribe in question was to have Kimunya replace Garissa Township MP Aden Duale in the National Assembly.

Kuria claimed, “It is not uncommon in Kenya for members of parliament to be paid or compensated to vote in a particular way, especially when the government has an interest in a matter.” 

Failing to substantiate his remarks with credible evidence, the MP added, “When the new Majority Leader was appointed because they were not elected…we went to the majority leader’s office and received the $1,000 (about Sh100,000) gift.”

Kuria defended himself for taking the bribe by arguing that some legislators were bribed Sh100,000 to pass a Constitution Amendment Bill, 2020.

In a move linked to the fallout between President Uhuru Kenyatta and his Deputy William Ruto in June 2020, Duale was removed from the lucrative majority leader post in Parliament. 

Kuria said, “I’m not sure if the money belonged to Kenyan taxpayers, but I’ll be refunding the most recent that I can recall to the office of the leader of the majority.”

“I don’t expect them to admit it, but they do happen in the majority leader’s office,” he responded when asked if he had any proof that other lawmakers also received bribes. 

Kuria, nominated MP Cecily Mbarire and nominated senator Millicent Omanga are to appear before the Jubilee party disciplinary committee to begin the process of their expulsion from the ruling party.

On Wednesday, the committee held a meeting, noting that Kuria was violating the Political Parties Act by supporting a People’s Empowerment Party (PEP) candidate in the forthcoming Juja by-elections.

The Gatundu lawmaker is scheduled to appear in parliament on Thursday with fellow lawmakers Ndindi Nyoro (Kiharu) and Mohamed Ali (Nyali) after being summoned for disorderly conduct.

Speaker Justin Muturi said they were summoned for dishonouring the house by claiming that members of the Assembly were bribed to vote for the Building Bridges Initiatives (BBI) Bill.