Nairobi — The government has been asked to beef up security for Labour minister John Munyes as a diplomatic row over espionage claims involving Southern Sudan escalates.

The Defence and Foreign Relations Committee, which has launched an inquiry into the allegations, has asked Defence minister Yusuf Haji, Foreign Affairs minister Moses Wetang'ula and Internal Security minister George Saitoti to appear before it to assist in the investigations.

The director-general of the National Security Intelligence Service has also been summoned to give some information.

After holding a closed-door meeting to question the Labour minister on Thursday, the committee said at a press conference that foreign diplomats should respect Kenya and its government officials.

"We are not happy with the wild allegations against the minister and we hope the Sudanese Government will stand by them," said Mr Edick Anyanga, a committee member.

"These are serious allegations and we expect the Government of Southern Sudan to confirm them to us in a letter and give us details," the Nyatike MP said.

Mr Munyes was questioned over allegations he was a spy for the Khartoum Government during the two-hour meeting at Continental House.

He was also quizzed over his ownership of a Cessna aircraft, which has featured in the allegations.

The Turkana North MP claimed some officials from Southern Sudan accused him of being bankrolled by Khartoum to buy weapons and spy on the country to destabilise it.

But the Southern Sudan minister for regional cooperation, Gen Oyay Deng Ajak, said his government had not accused the Kenyan minister or anybody in Kenya about anything.

Speaking after appearing before the committee, Mr Munyes said he co-owned the helicopter with a commercial bank.

He blamed his predicament on the leadership of the Toposa in Southern Sudan over the Turkana South-Southern Sudan border clashes.