Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has revealed why Senators and Members of the National Assembly are demanding bribes from Governors and Cabinet Secretaries when they appear before their committees.
Speaking in a media interview on Tuesday, August 26, 2025, the former Deputy President claimed that legislators who used to receive money from President William Ruto no longer get handouts, which has allegedly pushed some of them to extort Governors and Cabinet Secretaries.
“All these fights you see between the Executive and Parliament are about corruption. William Ruto elevated the appetite of MPs and Senators by giving them Ksh 10 million.
Now they want money every day. What has happened is that Ruto introduced money into Parliament, but lately, he has shifted his focus to ODM and Raila Odinga, and he is spending most of his money on ODM MPs. Kenya Kwanza MPs now feel abandoned, and the money is not flowing as it used to. So they have decided to look for money from others—when the Ministers come, they demand money; when the PSs come, they also demand money,” said Gachagua.
Gachagua on MPs becoming extortionists
Gachagua further added that the President should not complain about corruption in the National Assembly and the Senate because, according to him, he is the one who pioneered it.
“William Ruto, you started it all. Don’t complain. This is your baby. You are the one who introduced high-level corruption in the National Assembly and the Senate.
You cannot turn around and condemn what you started yourself. You are the one who told these MPs that every man and woman has a price,” he alleged.
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He further claimed that Members of Parliament, especially those from the Mount Kenya region aligned with the President, can no longer visit their constituents or address meetings without issuing handouts.
President Ruto Accuses MPs and Senators of Extortion
He also accused the current Deputy President, Kithure Kindiki, of facing similar challenges.
“Now that William Ruto is no longer giving these MPs money, they still need to engage with their constituents, but don’t have resources. So what do you expect them to do? Anytime a PS is called before a committee, they demand money. Anytime a Minister is summoned, they also demand money,” Gachagua alleged.
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The former DP further alleged that President Ruto’s outburst over MPs and Senators demanding bribes from CSs and Governors came after several Cabinet Secretaries complained to him that they could no longer bear the extortion.
Gachagua’s revelation comes just days after the Head of State accused MPs and Senators sitting in committees of extortion, claiming that one particular committee in the National Assembly demanded a Ksh 10 million bribe to pass the Anti-Money Laundering Bill.
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