Homa Bay Town MP Peter Kaluma has thrown his support behind President William Ruto’s anti-corruption stance, arguing that Parliament must lead by example in the fight against corruption, given its central role in budgeting and oversight.

In a statement posted on his X account on Wednesday, August 20, 2025, Kaluma challenged his fellow MPs to acknowledge corruption within Parliament and take decisive action to address it.

“Why deny there is corruption in Parliament when we all know corruption pervades every inch of our society, including Parliament?” Kaluma questioned.

Backing Ruto

Kaluma explicitly endorsed Ruto’s position on parliamentary accountability in the fight against corruption.

“President William Ruto is right that the fight against corruption, to succeed, must start from Parliament,” he stated.

The outspoken legislator argued that given Parliament’s unique position in budget formulation and oversight, it should be the starting point for anti-corruption initiatives.

“How do you propose we fight corruption if you don’t want us to start from Parliament, which is the institution which budgets and oversights budget implementation?” he asked.

Self-reflection

The MP specifically identified excessive budget appropriations as a form of institutionalised corruption that creates opportunities for embezzlement.

“Let’s reduce the excessive appropriations, creating room for embezzlement – it is budgeted corruption,” Kaluma stated.

Additionally, Kaluma called on his fellow legislators to engage in honest self-reflection and take concrete steps to address corruption within their ranks.

“Let’s introspect, reflect and act right,” he urged his parliamentary colleagues.

The Homa Bay Town representative also called for enhanced parliamentary oversight mechanisms to prevent misuse of public funds.

“Let’s tighten oversight,” he declared, emphasising Parliament’s constitutional responsibility to monitor budget implementation and ensure accountability in government spending.

Renewed war against graft

Kaluma’s remarks come barely a day after Ruto announced the formation of a new Multi-Agency Team on the War Against Corruption (MAT), which will bring together key state institutions in a renewed effort to curb graft, economic crimes, and misuse of public resources.

In a presidential proclamation made on Tuesday, August 19, 2025, Ruto outlined the creation of this team, consisting of 11 essential agencies, led by the Executive Office of the President, with the Office of the Attorney General serving as the secretariat.

“The membership is mandated to co-opt additional representation from designated agencies to further enhance its objectives,” the proclamation noted.

According to the President, the team’s responsibilities include improving cooperation and coordination among agencies, engaging with the private sector and international partners, sharing best practices, and developing effective communication strategies to keep Kenyans informed about the progress of the anti-corruption campaign.

“A Multi-Agency Team on War Against Corruption (MAT) is hereby established with the strategic objective of creating synergy and inter-agency cooperation in the fight against corruption, economic crimes, and related offences,” the proclamation continued.