Former Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) board chairperson Irungu Nyakera has raised concerns over what he has termed the parliament’s failure to execute its constitutional mandate.

Taking to his official X account on Wednesday, April 16, 2025, Nyakera warned that Kenya risks being ruled by force, and not by law, should the parliament continue dancing to the executive’s tune.

According to him, the parliament has surrendered its oversight role to the executive, with MPs becoming its mouthpieces.

Nyakera went ahead to fault the lawmakers for remaining silent on various unpopular policies pushed by President William Ruto’s administration, including the failed Adani deal, housing levy, fuel importation monopoly, e-citizen ownership, and e-visa Swiss partner.

Nyakera on Finance Bill

He further warned that with the Finance Bill 2025 looming, Kenyans fear it will pass not through merit but through coercion and bribery.

He also heaped praises on the Chief Justice Martha Koome-led Judiciary for blocking at least 11 unconstitutional and potentially harmful policies by the executive over the past year.

“The reason you have been seeing so much activism against the judiciary is because it is the last line of defence for Kenyans, and the executive has been unable to penetrate it! Over the past year alone, the courts have blocked at least 11 unconstitutional and potentially harmful policies by the executive. Meanwhile, Parliament has surrendered its oversight role to the executive, with MPs becoming its mouthpieces,” Nyakera stated.

“They remained silent on the shady Adani deal, housing levy scam, fuel importation monopoly, e-citizen ownership, e-visa Swiss partner, among other corruption-laden deals. Now, with the Finance Bill 2025 looming, Kenyans fear it will pass not through merit but through coercion and bribery.”

Moreover, the former party leader of the Farmers Party suggested that for the country to work, all three arms of the government must function independently.

“For Kenya to work, all three arms of government must function independently. If Parliament remains captured, Kenya risks being ruled by force and not by law,” he wrote on X.

Nyakera-Ruto fallout

President William Ruto fired Nyakera from his plum job after skipping his Mt Kenya development tour at the beginning of April, 2025.

Ruto sacked Nyakera through a gazette notice dated April 1, 2025, in his place appointing Samuel Waweru as the new chairperson.

“In exercise of the powers conferred by section 43(1)(a) of the Tourism Act, as read together with section 51(1) of the Interpretation and General Provisions Act, I, William Samoei Ruto, President of the Republic of Kenya and Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Forces, appoint Samuel Waweru Mwangi to be the Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the Kenyatta International Convention Centre for a period of three (3) years, with effect from the 1st of April, 2025. The appointment of Irunga Nyakera is revoked,” the gazette notice stated.

Since being ousted from the position, Nyakera has been a major critic of Ruto’s administration and his programmes, revealing a bitter fallout.