A Member of Parliament who is serving a lengthy jail term has been nominated for a prestigious and powerful position in Kenya’s National Assembly.

Commissioner in the Parliamentary Service Commission.

John Waluke and his business partner Grace Wakhungu were sent back to prison by a Kenyan High Court after they were found guilty of stealing SSP 1.6 billion (Sh313 million) from a government agency.

But despite being behind bars on corruption charges, former Kenya’s ruling party – Jubilee still nominated the convicted legislature for the position of Commissioner in the Parliamentary Service Commission.

The party’s Secretary General said in a letter to the speaker of the national assembly that they have picked Waluke for the position.

Nation reported that the move could be seen as a long shot by the party at attempting to free Waluke who has served just 53 of 24, 120 days he is supposed to serve behind bars, even though it may prove to be a tough nut to crack.

The country’s Director of Public Prosecutions on Wednesday, November 2, asked the Court of Appeal not to grant the convict any bail pending the hearing of his appeal.

Waluke is reportedly paid the cash in question, quoted as storage charges for the 40,000 metric tonnes of white maize purportedly incurred by a freight company.

The two have since launched an appeal in the High court.

Among other duties, the commission is responsible for providing services and facilities to ensure the efficient and effective running of Parliament, appointing and supervising office holders as well as preparing annual estimates of expenditure of the parliamentary service and submitting them to the National Assembly for approval, and exercising budgetary control over the service.

The City Review