President William Ruto has escalated his war on corruption, vowing to dismantle an extortion cartel within Parliament that he says has turned oversight into a cash marketplace. Speaking during a joint Kenya Kwanza – ODM Parliamentary Group meeting in Karen on August 18, 2025, Ruto delivered a bold, unscripted address that drew sharp applause and clear warnings.
“There are people who are destroying the credibility of Parliament, and they are collecting money in the name of Parliament,” Ruto declared. “We are not going to shame them. We are going to arrest them.”
The scheme, colloquially known as soko huru “free market” allegedly allows legislators to demand hefty payments from governors and top officials summoned by committees. In exchange, members either soften their questioning or manipulate reports. According to Ruto, intelligence reports revealed a Senate committee recently pocketed Ksh.150 million to shield a county government from scrutiny.
“Where does somebody find Ksh.150 million? That is money that belongs to the county,” the President charged. He further alleged that some MPs had collected Ksh.10 million to pass the Anti-Money Laundering law. Turning to legislators in the room, he asked pointedly: “Did you get the money?”
Ruto directly attacked the existence of dubious committee roles, ridiculing one in particular. “This fellow who is called chairman of welfare in committees, what is their job? Extortion. That’s it.”
The President insisted that the crackdown will cut across political lines. “Whoever is giving and whoever is being given, we will sort them out. Because the reality is that there is a problem. Unless we deal with it, we are going to destroy this nation,” he said.
Beyond arrests, Ruto used the gathering to outline a broader vision for governance. He emphasized bipartisan unity on national reforms, praising opposition leader Raila Odinga for helping bridge political divides. He noted that Kenya Kwanza and Azimio manifestos align by about 70 percent, particularly on development priorities.
Ruto also confirmed a shift away from debt-financing large infrastructure projects. Upcoming mega-projects such as the Rironi – Mau Summit road and the Standard Gauge Railway extension will instead be funded through Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs).
Ruto, however, left no doubt about his immediate target: the “Soko Huru” cartel. “We will not allow Parliament to be reduced to an auction house,” he vowed.
