EACC summons Majority Whip Osoro over alleged bribery admission

The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has summoned National Assembly Majority Whip Silvanus Osoro following recent utterances he made in Bomet County in which he seemingly admitted to receiving bribes from MPs in order to approve their trips abroad.

EACC has ordered the South Mugirango MP to present himself at the state agency's headquarters, on November 6 at 9 am to record a statement on the same.

"The Commission notes that these allegations constitute serious ethical issues and if true would amount to a serious breach of the integrity and ethical requirements governing the conduct of State officers as laid out under Chapter Six of the Constitution and the Leadership and Integrity Act, 2012," EACC said.

"To this end, you are required to appear at the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission’s headquarters at Integrity Centre, Nairobi on 6th November 2023 at 09:00 am to shed light on the allegations, interview, and statement recording," said the anti-graft watchdog.

Osoro made the utterances on October 29, during the National Government Affirmative Action Fund (NGAAF) event organized by Bomet Women Representative Linet Chepkorir, popularly known as Toto.

During the event, the legislator bragged about how deep his pockets run before seemingly ceding to dishing out money to his constituents in exchange for a few favours including buying their silence.

"Sasa wewe ukipiga kelele hapa hautakula pesa. We unafikiria mimi ni maskini? Mi napanganga laini hapa watu wanakula mia mbili wakienda. Hizi ni vitu ndogo sana. Unanyamaza, nazungumza alafu nakulipa," he said.  

"Mimi nimekuwa bunge siku mingi na nimetengeneza kitu ya kutosha. Na mimi ndio chief whip kule bungeni. Hao wabunge wote mimi ndio nawasimamia na wakitaka kuenda ng'ambo wanakuja kwa ofisi yangu wananiachia yangu ndio wanaenda."