Senate to probe claims that President Uhuru has barred travels

The Senate is to probe claims that President Uhuru Kenyatta had barred the lawmakers and staff from foreign travels.

This is after legislators allied to Deputy President William Ruto claimed that the Immigration Department had stopped a senator from travelling out of the country on the orders of the President.

Kericho Senator Aaron Cheruiyot raised the matter which was supported by Moses Wetang’ula (Bungoma) and Kipchumba Murkomen (Elgeyo Marakwet).

They argued that the action by the President was on affront on the independence of the legislature.

“But what I find rather disturbing is that this directive is from the Executive, not the office of the Speaker,” Cheruiyot said.

He challenged the Speaker to give a firm commitment that senators are free, as the Constitution allows them, to travel anytime so long as they follow the laid regulations and laws.

Murkomen said the incident only points to an attack by the Executive on other arms of government and independent institutions.

“It has come to Members of Parliament, the Speaker, the senators are being dictated whether they can travel or not. We must protect and defend the Constitution and the rights of the people,” he added.

Wetang’ula disclosed that he had been informed that a senator had been blocked from travelling out of the country while at the airport with his family.

Additionally, he disclosed that a senior Senate official had been pulled out of a South Africa-bound flight where he was to undertake refresher training.

“Upon reaching the Immigration Department, they were told that senators and Senate staff had been injuncted from travelling outside the country because of pending businesses in the House,” he said.

He also claimed that Kwale Senator Issa Juma Boy was stopped from travelling after he arrived at the airport with his family.

Until the debate on the controversial Political Parties (Amendment) Bill 2021 is dispensed with Speaker Kenneth Lusaka will in the next two weeks inform the House on the claims.

However, Majority Leader Samuel Poghisio and his deputy Fatuma Dullo, both who are allied to the President, dismissed the claims saying there was no evidence to back up the claims.

“You do not have to drag the President’s name in every problem you go through because of disagreement in opinion,” Poghisio said.

Dullo challenged the claims urging Ruto’s allies to table substantive evidence.

After the debate on the controversial Political Parties (Amendment) Bill 2021 is over, Speaker Kenneth Lusaka will inform the House on claims.