Top news items in major Kenyan media outlets

NAIROBI, April 23 (Xinhua) -- The following are the news highlights in Kenyan media outlets on Monday.

-- Claims of extortion and a scheme to make more money in allowances are being cited as the motive behind parallel investigations by parliamentary committees. Rival National Assembly and Senate committees are said to be working at cross-purposes on at least four investigations, raising protests from House leaders about wasting of public funds.

But besides the scramble for sitting allowances, a more sinister motive is quietly being cited within parliament's corridors -- that only matters involving huge amounts of money and alleged corruption have attracted parallel probes. (The Standard)

-- Opposition leader Raila Odinga's party Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) clashed with Deputy President William Ruto over calls to amend the constitution to expand the executive. ODM said the push for changes is unstoppable while Ruto said the campaign is premature and unnecessary. (Daily Nation)

-- Former electoral agency commissioner Roseyn Akombe who resigned last year has exposed the rot at the commission, providing first insider evidence that the August 8, 2017, polls could have been compromised. She questions various tenders at the agency and noted commissioners were held captive by the secretariat. (The Star)

-- A fresh round of trade wars is simmering in East Africa after Tanzania and Uganda imposed taxes on Kenya-made confectionery products like chocolates, ice cream and sweets citing use of industrial sugar in the goods. (Business Daily) Enditem