MPs raise accountability concerns over proposed AFC, Ford Foundation privileges

Jukwaa

📻 Breaking It Down

The National Assembly Committee on Delegated Legislation has chaired by Ainabkoi MP Samuel Chepkonga, scrutinised the proposed Privileges and Immunities (Africa Finance Corporation) Order, 2026, and the Privileges and Immunities (Ford Foundation) Order, 2026.

This was during a meeting with Prime Cabinet Secretary and Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi.

Lawmakers questioned the scope of the proposed exemptions, their compatibility with Kenyan laws and whether national oversight institutions would retain their powers over the two organisations.

📌 What You Need to Know

Vice-chairperson Robert Gichimu sought clarification on whether the privileges proposed for the AFC were comparable to those granted by other countries hosting the corporation.

Chepkonga also questioned why the AFC should receive special treatment compared with other foreign financial institutions operating in Kenya, noting that Nigerian banks had already established a presence in the country.

In a separate concern, MP Innocent Mugabe sought assurances that the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) would retain the authority to intervene in cases involving suspected corruption.

The committee was informed that the AFC would operate in compliance with Kenyan laws under a framework comparable to the legal treatment accorded to diplomatic missions.

The proposed orders are intended to establish the legal framework for the two institutions’ operations in Kenya, although the committee’s scrutiny places the question of accountability at the centre of the debate over the privileges.

During the meeting, AFC Director Fola Fagbule urged lawmakers to support the proposed order, arguing that establishing the corporation’s regional office in Nairobi would create significant economic opportunities for Kenya.

📰 Source: Capital FM Kenya

0 0