Kenya’s political scene has been shaken after Kisii Senator Richard Onyonka made serious allegations against President William Ruto’s government.
Speaking in Meru County on Monday, August 18, Onyonka claimed there is a secret plan to arrest Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna and other parliamentarians.
According to Onyonka, the arrests would be linked to bribery accusations targeting lawmakers. He said he had received information that President Ruto himself had ordered the operation.
The Kisii Senator accused the Head of State of focusing only on MPs while ignoring major corruption scandals inside the executive.
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“We have just received information that the president wants to arrest Sifuna and other members of the Senate and the National Assembly,” Onyonka alleged during the forum.
He added: “He wants to arrest them because they were receiving petty cash. Mr President, if you want to deal with this, start by arresting people within your circle.”
These allegations came just hours after President Ruto made tough remarks about corruption inside Parliament.
While addressing a joint meeting of United Democratic Alliance (UDA) and ODM lawmakers, the President said legislators caught taking bribes would face arrest.
Ruto insisted that there is a “deep-rooted culture of bribery” within parliamentary committees that must end.
He cited examples where Senators allegedly collected up to Ksh150 million to influence a sensitive decision in the House.
“They are collecting money in the name of Parliament, and sometimes that money never gets to Parliament. Instead, it ends up in the pockets of a few individuals. We are not going to shame them; we are going to apprehend them,” Ruto declared.
The President also claimed that MPs had pocketed millions during the passage of the Anti-Money Laundering Bill.
“I am a consumer of raw intelligence. Do you, for example, know that a few members of the House here received up to Ksh10 million to pass the Anti-Money Laundering Bill? Do you know that? Did you get the money?” he posed.
Ruto’s bold statements created a storm, with many lawmakers now fearing that a major purge could be on the way.
But Onyonka says the President’s focus is misplaced. He believes Ruto should first deal with senior officials in government before targeting MPs.
The ODM leadership has not yet issued an official response to the Senator’s claims, but the remarks have already sparked heated debate online and in political circles.
Many Kenyans are now asking: Is this a genuine fight against corruption, or is it a political strategy to weaken the opposition?
On social media, Kenyans expressed mixed reactions. Some praised Ruto for confronting MPs accused of bribery, while others accused him of using corruption charges selectively.
For Sifuna, who also serves as the Secretary General of ODM, these allegations come at a time when the political rivalry between Ruto’s Kenya Kwanza and Raila Odinga’s camp remains tense.
The big question remains: Will arrests actually happen, or is this just political theatre meant to scare opponents?
For now, Kenya watches closely as the standoff between President Ruto’s administration and opposition leaders grows sharper.
One thing is clear: corruption is once again at the heart of Kenya’s politics, and the fight over who gets blamed is only beginning.
