In
a fiery Senate session on Thursday, Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale publicly
demanded the resignation of Principal Secretary for Lands, Nixon Korir, over
accusations tied to a major land compensation scandal involving the Standard
Gauge Railway (SGR) project.
Khalwale,
addressing the upper house, alleged that Korir has been sued by legal icon
Prof. P.L.O. Lumumba in connection with the misappropriation of funds meant to
compensate 184 families affected by the construction of the SGR. The senator
emphasized that such a serious accusation warrants immediate action, including
the stepping down of the PS to allow transparent investigations.
“It
is only today that it has become public that Professor Lumumba has sued PS
Nixon Korir for embezzling money meant for compensating families displaced by
the SGR,” Khalwale stated. “Parliament must take up this role seriously—Lumumba
should not be doing our job.”
Korruption
Concerns: Khalwale Presses for PS to Step Down
Senator
Khalwale raised concerns that retaining Korir in office could jeopardize any
forthcoming probe, citing his access to critical documents and information
related to the case.
“How
do we investigate a person who controls the data required for his own case?
Korir must resign so that justice can be pursued without interference,” he
added.
However,
his calls were not universally accepted. Migori Senator Eddy Oketch responded
by urging Khalwale to follow parliamentary protocol, asking him to table a substantive
motion if he intends to seek official action on the matter.
“You’ve
made strong claims and used the word ‘demand’—which I respect,” Oketch noted.
“But this House deserves a formal motion, considering the weight of the
embezzlement accusations.”
The
Senate session reflected a broader trend of scrutiny toward government
officials, especially following increasing reports of corruption and
mismanagement of public funds.
Mounting
Pressure Across Ministries
Khalwale’s
call mirrors sentiments shared just days earlier by nominated Senator Gloria
Orwoba, who called for the dismissal of Labour Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua.
Orwoba accused Mutua of ignoring rampant job scams preying on desperate Kenyans
seeking employment abroad.
“This
man is incompetent,” Orwoba stated. “He’s not working for Kenyans, and it’s
time he is relieved of his duties.”
With
mounting pressure on both the Lands and Labour ministries, the Ruto
administration faces growing calls from within Parliament to address integrity
concerns head-on. Whether these demands translate into resignations or further
inquiries remains to be seen, but the Senate’s increasing boldness in holding
public officers accountable has taken center stage in national politics.
