Erute South MP, Jonathan Odur, has strongly opposed the approval of the budget for the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), accusing prosecutors of unprofessional conduct and using the institution to settle political scores.
Speaking during a meeting between the Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee and DPP officials, who were presenting the 2025/26 Ministerial Policy Statement, Odur questioned the ethics of the prosecutors. He challenged them to reveal if any among them had ever faced criminal charges, implying that their lack of experience on the receiving end of justice might explain why they allegedly prolong cases unnecessarily.
“I want to know if there is anyone here who has ever been charged with a criminal offense. None? Then why do you take pleasure in persecuting people?” Odur asked. He criticized the practice of keeping suspects in detention under the pretext of ongoing investigations, even in cases where evidence is insufficient to proceed to court.
Odur further rejected the budget proposal for the Inspection and Quality Assurance department, questioning its effectiveness in ensuring prosecutors uphold professional standards. He accused the DPP’s office of failing to maintain ethical integrity and allowing political interests to influence legal proceedings.
“There is a reason why the public has rebranded your office from the ‘Directorate of Public Prosecution’ to the ‘Directorate of Political Prosecution.’ Many people are in jail not because of their crimes, but because of political differences. And you have allowed this to happen,” Odur remarked.
The MP also took issue with a budgetary allocation for a Thanksgiving ceremony by the DPP’s office, questioning why taxpayers’ money should be used for such an event. He wondered whether the funds were meant to hire religious leaders such as a bishop or even the Pope.
“I want to be told why we should finance a thanksgiving prayer in your budget. Thanksgiving for what? For the wrongful persecution we’ve witnessed? For people suffering in jail?” Odur asked.
His remarks sparked debate within the Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee, with several MPs raising concerns about the DPP’s spending priorities and the ethical implications of its prosecutions.
