President William Ruto and ODM leader Raila Odinga arrived for their first joint parliamentary meeting of ODM and Kenya Kwanza Alliance at the KCB Leadership Centre in Karen on August 18, 2025. President Ruto announced that the government will arrest and prosecute all leaders, particularly Members of Parliament and Senators, who solicit and accept bribes to perform their legislative duties.
During the meeting, the visibly angry Head of State addressed lawmakers sternly after receiving reports that many, especially in committee roles, have been demanding bribes to influence decisions. Ruto shared that he regularly receives raw intelligence, indicating that some lawmakers have been persistently taking bribes.
โThey are collecting money in the name of Parliament, but often that money never reaches Parliament. It ends up in the pockets of a select few. Weโre not going to shame them; we are going to apprehend them,โ Ruto said.
He referenced the recently passed Anti-Money Laundering Bill, noting that cheques were used to try to sway its outcome. Ruto mentioned an instance where one senator allegedly received Ksh150 million to influence a matter before the House, although he did not disclose the senator's name. โI am a consumer of raw intelligence. Did you know that a few members of the House received up to Ksh10 million to pass the Anti-Money Laundering Bill? Did you get the money?โ Ruto posed to the lawmakers.
