By MKT Reporter
Bumula Member of Parliament Jack Wamboka was yesterday suspended from chairing the Public Investments Committee on Governance and Education following serious allegations of soliciting bribes from witnesses appearing before the committee.
The decision was communicated by National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula through Deputy Speaker Gladys Boss after mounting complaints were lodged with the Speaker’s office and forwarded to the Parliamentary Powers and Privileges Committee for investigation.
According to the complaints, witnesses who had appeared before the committee accused Wamboka of demanding bribes as a precondition for being granted audience or receiving favourable consideration during committee proceedings. The allegations were also echoed in a formal protest by the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC), which cited what it termed as open hostility, harassment, and demeaning treatment of its officers when they appeared before the committee.
In response, the Speaker directed the Leader of Minority to nominate an interim chairperson by today, noting that the committee’s vice chairperson is a newly sworn-in member and therefore not fully positioned to take over leadership’s immediately.
The Powers and Privileges Committee has been tasked with investigating the matter and is expected to table its report within 45 days. The committee’s findings will determine whether further disciplinary action will be taken against the legislator.
The suspension marks a significant development information Parliament’s ongoing efforts to enforce accountability and integrity within its committees, especially those handling public oversight and governance matters.
Meanwhile, Parliament has maintained that the probe will be conducted in accordance with due process, allowing all parties involved to present evidence and defend themselves before any final decision is made.
The allegations against Wamboka come at a time when Parliament has been under increasing scrutiny over ethics and conduct of lawmakers, with calls for stricter enforcement of integrity standards in public service.
If the allegations are substantiated, the case could set a precedent for how misconduct within parliamentary committees is handled going forward.