Ksh10M inducement claims for MPs in anti-money laundering bill passage dismissed
By Faith Lagat, August 19, 2025The Chair of the Departmental Committee on Justice and Legal Affairs, Gitonga Murugara, has dismissed claims that MPs received a Ksh10 million inducement to influence the passage of the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering of Financing of Terrorism (Amendment) Bill, 2025.
The Igembe South legislator issued the rebuttal on Tuesday, August 19, 2025, during a sitting following claims made during a Kenya Kwanza-ODM Parliamentary Group meeting held on August 18. He insisted the accusations were unfounded and aimed at undermining the integrity of Parliament.
“This statement is made on behalf of the Departmental Committee on Justice and Legal Affairs and its members with regard to statements made during the joint Kenya Kwanza-ODM Parliamentary Group meeting held yesterday,” he noted.
Claims dismissed
“In the meeting, a statement was made to the effect that the consideration and passage of the bill was influenced by a Ksh10 million inducement collected by an MP or MPs allegedly on behalf of the National Assembly. I want to state clearly that such allegations are baseless,” Murugara said.
He further argued that opposition to the bill could only come from individuals or entities engaged in corrupt dealings. “Only a person or entity that engages in corrupt practices, or ‘Wash Wash’ as it is popularly known, could have opposed the passage of the Bill,” he added.
Murugara maintained that any inducement in connection with the law would likely have been directed at those resisting stronger safeguards against financial crimes, not the committee or MPs backing the legislation.
Legislative journey
The Anti-Money Laundering and Combating of Terrorism Financing Laws (Amendment) Bill was passed by the National Assembly on June 3 and signed into law by President William Ruto on June 17.
The law amends ten acts, including the Proceeds of Crime and Anti-Money Laundering Act and the Prevention of Terrorism Act, in a bid to address technical compliance gaps flagged by the Eastern and Southern African Anti-Money Laundering Group (ESAAMLG) and the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).
President Ruto, while assenting to the bill, said the law “reaffirms Kenya’s standing as a leader in financial integrity.” The move came months after Kenya was listed by the European Commission as a high-risk jurisdiction over financial oversight weaknesses.
Murugara emphasised that the committee’s focus remains on strengthening Kenya’s financial systems.
“The Committee notes that any inducement with respect to the Bill could only have been given to the persons opposed to the strengthening of the laws,” he said.
The latest controversy emerged on the same day President Ruto assented to the Insurance Professionals Bill, 2024, signalling a broader push for regulatory reforms across key sectors.