President Uhuru Kenyatta has been bashed over his remarks during the Jamhuri Day celebrations on Thursday, where he criticized public officers doubling up as practising professionals.
In his speech at Nyayo Stadium, Uhuru, while referring to the legislators who are representing Nairobi governor Mike Sonko in his graft case, said that this amounts to a conflict of interest.
However, his remarks have been challenged by veteran politician Koigi Wa Wamwere, who wants the president to lead the way in having his directive implemented.
Speaking on Saturday evening, he challenged Uhuru to shelve his interests in the milk and banking sectors as proof that he really means what he says and can personally do it.
"We have heard the president saying there is no working in two positions. If he means it, then let him pick family members to handle his milk and bank businesses (Tumeskia rais akisema hakuna watu kufanya kazi mbili, kama anataka iwe hivyo naye achague watu wengine katika familia yake waendelee na biashara zake za maziwa na benki)," he said Radio Sauti Ya Mwananchi.
According to Wamwere, the president should keep off any private income-generating activity until his retirement in 2022.
The former Subukia lawmaker noted that there can be no greater conflict of interest in the country than that of Uhuru, stating that his position makes it hard to compete against him.
At the same time, he predicted that the new push, just like the earlier lifestyle audit one, will soon be forgotten.
"There was a time he declared that there would be lifestyle audits, beginning with him. That died and was apparently killed by him as nobody else can kill a presidential ideology (Kuna wakati akisema watu wafanyiwe ukaguzi ikianzia kwake. Hiyo ilikufa na tunaweza kusema ni yeye aliua maana hakuna anayeweza kuua wazo linalomhusu rais)," he added.
Already, Uhuru has directed Attorney General Paul Kihara Kariuki to come up with a Conflict of Interest bill which seeks to confine public officers to their state jobs.