Sadr urges arrest of 3 MPs over corruption accusations

Sadrist Movement leader Muqtada al-Sadr on Friday called arresting three MPs after it has been discovered that they colluded in taking bribes and commissions from officials in the Ministry of Electricity.

The MPs are Awad al-Awwadi, Mazen al-Mazni and Hussein Awwad. They are affiliated with al-Ahrar bloc. They are also members of the parliamentary Oil and Energy Committee.

Many Iraqi cities are witnessing power outages and lack of power supply although the government has allocated huge budgets to improve the service.

In a statement, al-Sadr's media office said that the parliamentary energy committee, composed of 17 MPs, did not play its required monitoring role regarding this sensitive issue that affects Iraqi people's lives.

This comes amid widespread corruption in the ministry, creating a national problem that requires a strict and swift action, the statement read.

Poor electricity service and recurrent power outages have enraged Iraqis. Last month, one person was killed and five others injured, including a police officer, when clashes erupted between police and protesters in Najaf Governorate due to power outages.

Last July, Iran halted electricity to several cities in neighboring Iraq without giving any warning. Iranian authorities cut electricity to Iraqi cities, Khorramshahr and Basra on the Iran-Iraqi border and Qaryat al-Amar located in the eastern region of Iraq.


https://www.thebaghdadpost.com/en/sto...on-accusations