The Senate has stepped up pressure over Isiolo Governor Abdi Guyo’s continued defiance of parliamentary summonses, demanding answers from Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja over why the National Police Service has failed to arrest and present the governor before the County Public Accounts Committee.
The committee on Monday re-invited Kanja to explain why the police have been unable to enforce the Senate’s summons against Guyo, despite the governor being a well-known public figure and, according to senators, continuing with his political activities in Isiolo.
The development has exposed growing frustration within the Senate over what members described as a failure by state security agencies to enforce parliamentary authority and hold county officials to account.
Kanja had been scheduled to appear before the committee on September 7, 2026, to explain the circumstances surrounding the police failure to arrest Guyo and produce him before the committee.
Instead, the Inspector General sent a letter saying he would be travelling to China on an official assignment and asked the committee to reschedule his appearance.
The committee rejected the explanation, with senators particularly taking issue with the language used by the police chief in describing the failed attempt to arrest the governor.
Kanja said he had constituted a special team to arrest Guyo and present him before the committee.
“Apparently, the Governor got wind of it and successfully evaded our dragnet,” he said in the letter.
But the explanation did little to ease the committee’s concerns, with senators questioning how a governor who is publicly visible and continues to move around Isiolo could repeatedly evade the police.
Committee chairperson Moses Kajwang’ criticised the wording of Kanja’s letter, saying it portrayed the police service as incapable of enforcing the Senate’s authority.
“The wording in the letter is not useful at all,” Kajwang’ said, noting that the language was casual.
“It is unfortunate that the impression he creates in the letter is that the NPS is clueless, ineffective and powerless.”
The senator said there was little justification for the police to fail to apprehend Guyo, given his public profile and visibility.
“The failure by the police to arrest such a known public figure is sending the wrong signal to the public.”
The remarks underline the central concern facing the Senate: whether parliamentary summonses can have any force if state agencies charged with enforcing them cannot compel a county governor to appear before lawmakers.
Isiolo Senator Fatuma Dullo was even more critical, accusing the Inspector General of showing contempt for Parliament by repeatedly failing to appear before the committee.
Dullo said the police chief should not be allowed to use official engagements as a shield from explaining why his officers have failed to enforce the Senate’s summons against Guyo.
“It is not enough for the IG to explain to the Committee his efforts,” said Senator Dullo, adding that the Governor was campaigning across Isiolo in the company of police officers.
The senator called for the matter to be escalated to the Senate plenary, arguing that the continued failure to secure Guyo’s appearance threatens the credibility of Parliament and its oversight mandate.
“This Committee should move the House to compel the IG to appear before the Committee of the Whole,” she said, adding that the Senate risks losing the trust of the people of Isiolo if it fails to act and ensure the police comply with its directive.
Dullo’s intervention also placed the governor’s conduct at the centre of the dispute. While Guyo remains out of the committee’s reach, senators are increasingly questioning whether his continued absence amounts to an attempt to evade scrutiny over the affairs of the Isiolo County government.
The proposal to escalate the matter received backing from committee vice-chairperson Samson Cherarkey, who said the Senate was facing growing public criticism over its handling of accountability matters.
“We are being mob-lynched by the public on matters of accountability. People think we are not serious,” said the senator.
“Let’s issue the summons because this is contempt. He has defied the invitation and we should make him appreciate the importance of respecting constitutional institutions.”
However, Senator Okong’o Omogeni urged the committee to exercise restraint, arguing that the immediate target of its intervention should remain the governor rather than creating a confrontation with the National Police Service.
“If we can confirm that his trip to China is legitimate, the best solution would be to give him another date to appear,” he said, warning the Committee against creating enmity with the NPS.
“We have a good working relationship with the IG. Taking the route of issuing summons will take the focus away from the real issue, which is the Governors who are running away from accountability.”
Senator Enock Wambua supported calls to escalate the matter and have Kanja appear before the Committee of the Whole.
In his ruling, Kajwang’ acknowledged the competing concerns raised by members but directed that the issues surrounding the County Government of Isiolo be separated from those concerning the Inspector General’s failure to appear.
“We reiterate that the IG must appear before this committee and explain why he has failed to arrest the Governor.
The committee also resolved to prepare and table a special report on the budgetary and accountability challenges facing Isiolo County before October.
Among the recommendations expected in the report is a forensic audit of the county’s finances, potentially widening scrutiny of how public resources have been managed under the Guyo administration.
The Senate’s decision marks a significant escalation in the accountability battle surrounding Isiolo County. While senators are demanding that Kanja explain the police’s failure to enforce their summons, the underlying issue remains Guyo’s repeated absence from the committee.
The governor’s ability to continue his public and political engagements while avoiding appearance before lawmakers has now become a test of whether county executives can be held to account when they choose not to honour parliamentary summonses.
With a special report and a possible forensic audit of Isiolo’s finances now in the works, the Senate appears set to intensify scrutiny of the county administration rather than allow the dispute over the police to overshadow the accountability questions confronting Governor Guyo.