Mukurweini MP John Kaguchia has blown the whistle on an alleged culture of "tokenism" at the highest office in the land, claiming legislators receive Ksh 100,000 "appreciation" payouts for every State House visit.

In a revelation that threatens to strip the veneer of policy-driven consensus from the country's executive-legislative relations, Mukurweini MP John Kaguchia has alleged that State House meetings are fueled by cash handouts. speaking to Citizen TV, the legislator described a transactional relationship where political loyalty is cemented not by ideology, but by brown envelopes containing Ksh 100,000 (approx. $760).

“Political leadership has been captured by the executive,” Kaguchia charged, painting a picture of a parliament that has surrendered its oversight role in exchange for petty cash. “Once you see a political leader going to State House, they get a lot of benefits. Every meeting you attend... you are paid.”

The Economics of Loyalty

The allegation raises profound questions about the independence of the legislature. If attendance at a Parliamentary Group (PG) meeting attracts a payout equivalent to two months' wages for an average Nairobi worker, the line between consultation and co-optation vanishes. Kaguchia claims he initially refused the money before ceasing his visits altogether, a move he frames as a moral stance against the “unjustified tokenism” eroding public trust.

• The Allegation: Ksh 100,000 payout per MP per visit.
• The Accuser: John Kaguchia (Mukurweini MP).
• The Implication: Executive capture of Parliament through financial inducements.

A History of "Fuel Allowances"

This is not an isolated cry in the wilderness. It echoes similar claims made by Naivasha MP Jayne Kihara in July 2025, who described the payments as “fuel allowances” designed to ensure continuous attendance. The cumulative effect of these allegations is a damaging perception that the sanctity of State House—the symbol of national unity—has been reduced to a dispensary of patronage. For the common mwananchi, struggling under the weight of taxation and cost of living, the idea that their representatives are paid to meet the President is a bitter pill.

The timing is explosive. With the “United Alternative Government” opposition coalition ramping up pressure on the Inspector General and the administration, these allegations provide fresh ammunition for critics who argue the current administration is built on transactional politics. If laws are debated in the House but passed in the wallet, the concept of separation of powers becomes a constitutional fiction.

As of now, State House has not issued a rebuttal, but the silence is deafening.