Former Mukurweini Member of Parliament Kabando Wa Kabando has hit back at President William Ruto’s recent accusations that Members of Parliament are accepting bribes, branding the Head of State as the “chief bribe giver.”

Speaking on a local radio show on Friday, August 15, 2025, in response to Ruto’s remarks, Wa Kabando claimed that in 2009, while serving as Minister of Agriculture, Ruto personally attempted to bribe him during a heated parliamentary session on a motion of no confidence against the then-minister.

“The President of the Republic of Kenya, the 5th, Dr. William Ruto, is accusing legislators of being bribe takers, but he is the chief bribe giver. During the motion of no confidence against him in 2009, Ruto tried to bribe me in Parliament,” Wa Kabando said.

Ruto’s integrity

The ex-legislator also questioned Ruto’s integrity, linking him to controversies surrounding the Kenya Pipeline Corporation (KPC).
“Isn’t he pushing for the sale of Kenya Pipeline Corporation? Who has more cases at Kenya Pipeline Corporation than Ruto?” he posed.

Kabando’s remarks add a sharp twist to the ongoing political storm sparked by President Ruto’s corruption allegations against Parliament, intensifying the debate over ethics and accountability in Kenya’s leadership.

On Wednesday, August 13, 2025, President William Ruto issued a warning to parliamentary committees engaging in corrupt practices, saying it can no longer be “business as usual” in the fight against graft. The Head of State expressed his dismay over claims that certain committees demand bribes, payments to write reports, or turn a blind eye to irregularities in both county and national governments.

“Mr Speaker, it can’t continue to be business as usual. It is not possible that committees of Parliament demand to be bribed, demand to be paid for them to write reports or look the other way for what is happening in either the county or national government,” Ruto said after officially opening a devolution conference in Homa Bay County.

Kabando Wa Kabando maintained that it is ironic for the Head of State to accuse the National Assembly of corruption while he has been mentioned over corruption before.