Robert Mbui spills more secrets on bribery in parliament after Ruto’s threat
By Kenneth Mwenda, August 19, 2025Kathiani Member of Parliament Robert Mbui has sensationally claimed that Members of Parliament were paid between Ksh100,000 and Ksh200,000 to sign the impeachment motion against former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.
Speaking during a heated debate on Tuesday, August 19, 2025, Mbui insisted that bribery within Parliament is not a new phenomenon, pointing to past instances where corruption tainted oversight committees.
“I was in the 11th Parliament from 2013 to 2017, and in that Parliament, we actually disbanded the Budget and Appropriations Committee on statements of inappropriate action by its members. We also disbanded the Public Accounts Committee over similar claims that they were extorting money from witnesses and individuals cited by the Auditor General,” Mbui said.
He argued that bribery has long been entrenched in parliamentary practice.
“This phenomenon has been there. It’s not unique to this Parliament. The President was Deputy President throughout that period when I was in Parliament, watching all this happen. I don’t know why suddenly now he has seen the light and is saying Parliament is corrupt,” Mbui stated.
On the impeachment motion against Gachagua, Mbui stated that lawmakers were handsomely rewarded for their signatures and votes.
“Just recently, we had this impeachment motion against a former Deputy President, and money did change hands. People were paid to sign—between Ksh100,000 and Ksh200,000. Those who voted were also given money. Some members were even clever enough to sign at the Majority Leader’s office and then again at the Minority Leader’s office to collect twice,” he claimed.
Ruto vows tough action
His remarks come against the backdrop of President William Ruto’s tough warning to legislators accused of soliciting or accepting bribes. Speaking in Karen during the ODM–Kenya Kwanza talks on Monday, August 18, 2025, the Head of State vowed to arrest both the givers and takers of bribes, accusing some MPs of pocketing Ksh10 million to pass the Anti-Money Laundering Bill.
“We are not going to shame them, we are going to arrest them—whoever is giving and whoever is being given. We shall sort them out,” Ruto said.
The President further noted that a handful of individuals were destroying Parliament’s credibility by collecting money in its name but pocketing it privately.