President William Ruto wants Parliament to reconsider the Conflict of Interest Bill and fix the gaps he pointed out when he referred it back to the House last Thursday.

Ruto criticised legislators for drafting “a bill that was below par in tackling corruption in government”, as per his advice during the last address to the House in June last year.

“I want to ask Parliament, both the National Assembly and Senate, to carefully consider the memorandum I have sent to them to make sure we stop conflict of interest that undermines the delivery and provision of public service,” Ruto said during Easter Sunday service at Dominion Chapel in Ntulele, Narok East.

The president said he exercised his veto powers as he had told the MPs when he returned the bill to Parliament after noticing inconsistencies. He said the bill was crucial to end graft in government, adding it should be enacted into law in three weeks to entrench accountability, integrity, and corruption-free government services.

Veto powers

“To curb corruption, which is caused by people who have interests, we agreed to pass the Conflict of Interest Bill. I told Parliament then that if they don’t pass the bill that will stop corruption and stop people using public office to benefit themselves, I will exercise veto powers to ensure Kenya has a law that will stop those vices,” the president said.

“I have done so, and in the next three weeks, Parliament must pass the law as I have recommended to stop corruption in public procurements and other government processes. It will touch on everybody from the president to the MCA.”

Ruto also waded into the controversy pitting the two Houses over the road maintenance fund, urging the legislators to allow the national government to use the money to build infrastructure.

The Head of State, who has been on many development tours across the country, which critics have termed campaign tours, said Kenyans have been asking him for roads, yet at the moment, his government is facing financial constraints to kick-start the projects. He returns to the Maa region for a two-day visit on May 6 and May 7.

“There is infighting over money for roads between counties and parliamentarians. The money that you are fighting for, if you leave it to me, I will allocate more money to the construction of the roads,” he said.

Constrained resources

When the legislators receive the money, Ruto said they will build short sections of murram road, which get destroyed when it rains. “Many Kenyans are asking for roads, but we have constrained resources to roll out the projects.

We can plan for that money to be used in a better way so that it will be beneficial to Kenyans,” he said.

He said the government recently disbursed Sh60 billion to restart the construction of stalled roads, promising more funds in the coming months.

He also stressed that, beginning of this month, all government procurement was being carried out on an E-platform, a system he emphasised has ensured that Kenyans get the best bargain for their taxes Ruto was accompanied by leaders including Defence Cabinet Secretary Siopan Tuya, governors Joseph Ole Lenku (Kajiado), Patrick Ole Ntutu (Narok), his predecessor Samuel Tunai, Senators Ledama Ole Kina (Narok), Peris Tobiko (Nominated), MPS Ken Aramut (Narok East) and his Narok West counterpart Gabriel Tongoyo.

Kina urged the president to direct that the government allocate more funds to counties as stipulated in the Additional Allocations Bill so that both levels of government can play their roles in development.

“We have fought with MPs over the road maintenance fund after the Senate recently abolished the fund. Talk to the MPs so that the additional allocations can trickle down to the counties so that you stop being blamed for doing all the projects,” he said.

The ODM senator called on the Maasai community to support the broad-based government after his party chief, Raila Odinga, and Ruto’s handshake. He denied claims that Ruto had sent him to Kajiado County two weeks ago during an event where he was the guest, and chaos erupted.