Governors Suspend Appearances Before Senate CPAC
Governors have announced a collective decision to suspend appearances before the Senate County Public Accounts Committee (CPAC), citing alleged intimidation, humiliation and unfair treatment during oversight sessions convened by the upper House.
The decision was communicated through a statement issued by the Council of Governors (CoG) during the ongoing Governors’ Retreat, where county leaders expressed concern over what they described as a growing pattern of hostile conduct by certain Senate committees tasked with oversight of county finances.
According to the CoG, several governors have been subjected to public ridicule, intimidation and what they termed as “witch-hunts” while appearing before CPAC to respond to audit queries raised by the Auditor-General. The council argued that while governors fully support accountability and oversight, the manner in which some sessions are conducted undermines the dignity and authority of elected county leaders.
“During the ongoing Governors’ Retreat, the Council of Governors has raised concern over the conduct of certain Senate Committees, citing cases of intimidation and humiliation of Governors during oversight engagements,” the CoG said in its statement.
The governors further claimed that four senators, whom they did not name in the public statement, had been repeatedly mentioned by members as being notorious for confrontational approaches during hearings. Some governors alleged that the conduct of these senators amounted to intimidation and, in extreme cases, attempts at extortion under the guise of oversight.
By law, the Senate County Public Accounts Committee is mandated to examine audit reports prepared by the Auditor-General and to hold county governments accountable for the use of public funds. As part of this process, governors and senior county officials are routinely summoned to explain expenditures, address audit queries, and clarify gaps in financial management.
However, tensions between the Senate and county bosses have escalated in recent months following a series of high-profile and often heated CPAC sessions that attracted public attention.
One of the most widely publicised hearings took place earlier this month when the Bungoma County Government was grilled over an expenditure of Ksh3.6 million on a Christmas tree lighting ceremony reportedly held in September 2019. During the session, CPAC chairperson Moses Kajwang’, alongside Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna and other committee members, questioned how such an amount was spent months before the festive season.
Bungoma Governor Kenneth Lusaka struggled to respond to the line of questioning, maintaining that the expenditure occurred before he assumed office. Despite his explanation, the exchange was widely shared on social media, fuelling debate on accountability and the conduct of parliamentary oversight.
In another incident, Tharaka Nithi Governor Muthomi Njuki reportedly walked out of a CPAC hearing after a disagreement with committee members, prompting the senators to threaten enforcement measures, including compelling his appearance.
Garissa Governor Nathif Jama has also been in the spotlight after the committee warned of possible penalties and travel restrictions should he fail to honour summons related to audit queries in his county.
While the Council of Governors has not indicated how long the boycott will last, it has called for structured engagement between the Senate and county leadership to establish clear guidelines that ensure oversight is conducted professionally and respectfully.
The standoff sets the stage for a potential constitutional and political confrontation between the two levels of government, with questions emerging over how accountability mechanisms will function if governors continue to defy Senate summons.
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Governors Suspend Appearances Before Senate CPAC
