Speaker of the National Assembly Moses Wetangula on Wednesday November 8 hosted the newly appointed Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Renson Mulele Igonga, in his office at the Parliament Buildings.
Wetangula while congratulating Igonga on his well-deserved eight-year appointment emphasized the importance of the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution (ODPP) in upholding the rule of law.
Further, the National Assembly Speaker expressed concerns about the high-profile arrests that do not lead to successful prosecutions and urged the new DPP to prioritize effective and quality prosecution.
“I expressed my concern regarding the practice of arresting individuals with great media attention but failing to conclude prosecutions,” Wetangula wrote on his official X account.
Similarly, Wetangula revealed that they talked about the financial challenges currently faced by the ODPP citing understaffing, and low morale.
He noted that the ODPP works with a budget allocation of Ksh 3.5 billion which according to him falls short of the demands placed upon the authority.
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“The ODPP is currently understaffed and suffers from low morale. I urged Igonga to to advocate for increased resources and better working conditions for his team,” he added.
Also, Wetangula affirmed to the new DPP that he has the right to request the Leader of the Majority in the National Assembly to consider repealing or amending the laws if his office encounters inconsistencies.
Likewise, the assembly’s majority whip Silvanus Osoro who was present during the meeting emphasized the need for Igonga to make a significant impact during his tenure, especially in cases of corruption.
Ugenya MP David Ochieng also called for a vigorous approach to dealing with corruption and influential figures.
Role of the ODPP
In addition, Wetangula highlighted the pivotal role played by the ODPP in maintaining order and justice in the nation.
He noted that this can only be achieved by utilizing the laws passed by Parliament to prosecute individuals without bias, regardless of their standing.
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“We live in separated spheres of influence under the constitution. You prosecute the good, the bad and the ugly in equal measure,” said the Speaker.
Notably, Igonga was appointed as the new DPP in September by President William Ruto, replacing Noordin Haji who was appointed as the Director General of the National Intelligence Service (NIS).
Withdrawn Cases
Earlier this year, the ODPP faced criticism from the public over the withdrawal of high-profile cases before acquittal.
According to a section of Kenyans and the opposition a like, withdrawal of such cases undermines public confidence in the justice system and sends a message that the powerful can escape punishment.
This came after cases involving high profile individuals including, DP Rigathi Gachagua, CS Aisha Jumwa, former KPLC boss Ben Chumo, and Mogotio Member of Parliament Reuben Kiborek among others were dropped bt the then DPP Noording Haji.
Nonetheless, Haji defended his decision to withdraw cases before acquittal, saying that it is necessary to ensure that taxpayer money is not wasted on cases that are unlikely to succeed.
“Until I was appointed as the DPP I was a Prosecutor. If I find that a journalist has been wrongly charged the only thing, I can do is to withdraw the charges!
When some cases are withdrawn before the acquittal process, they are withdrawn to save taxpayers money,” he said then.
