Caroli Omondi hits back at Ruto over corruption accusations against MPs
By Cy Muganda, August 19, 2025Suba South MP Caroli Omondi has strongly condemned President William Ruto’s repeated accusations against Members of Parliament, demanding that the President either provide evidence, prosecute those involved, or issue an apology.
Speaking in Parliament on Tuesday, August 19, 2025, Omondi said the President had now on three occasions launched broad attacks on the character of legislators, a move he described as unacceptable and damaging.
“I take great exception, as the statements made by His Excellency the President, now three times attacking the character of everyone in this house, including yourself,” Omondi said.
Ultimatum
“We must now take the position of NATO mass character assassination. We shall not accept,” he emphasised.
He demanded that Ruto either substantiate his claims by producing evidence and prosecuting the individuals concerned or issue an apology to parliament.
“And Mr. President must either bring the evidence, take those people to court, or apologise and withdraw,” Omondi declared.
Individual accountability
The legislator stressed the importance of individual accountability over blanket condemnation of all parliamentarians.
“If somebody is guilty, let them be charged on their own. But an attack such as the one that he’s made it twice, three times, first at the Stock Exchange, Devolution Conference in Homa Bay, and yesterday at our PG,” he stated.
He also criticised Ruto for labelling all MPs as corrupt extortionists, despite many supporting the President in crucial matters.
“It is so unfortunate that a statement condemning all of us as corrupt extortionists, yet some of us have held the sharp end of the knife to support him, is something that we cannot accept,” Omondi told the House.
Ruto’s accusations
Omondi’s remarks come barely a day after Ruto warned legislators over alleged corruption related to the passage of bills
Speaking during the Kenya Kwanza–ODM PG in Karen on Monday, August 18, 2025, Ruto accused some MPs of pocketing Ksh10 million to facilitate the passage of the Anti-Money Laundering Bill, warning that both bribe givers and takers would face arrest.
“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. Do you, for example, know that a few members of your committee collected Ksh10 million so that you can pass the law on anti-money laundering? Did you get the money?” Ruto posed.
He added that some individuals were misusing Parliament’s name to collect money, which often did not reach the institution but benefited a select few.
“Going forward, there are people who are destroying the credibility of Parliament, and they are collecting money in the name of Parliament, and most of the time that money never gets to Parliament; it gets to a few people,” he stated.