Hard truths. Bold Insights. Real talk.
The ruling lands in the middle of an intensifying confrontation between the Senate and county chiefs. Governors have recently declined to honour committee invitations, accusing some senators of using the summons to push for personal gain, claims that have widened the rift.
The Senate has created a 15-member ad hoc committee to track implementation of audit recommendations for all 47 counties after 15 governors refused to appear before its oversight committee.
To reinforce accountability, senators want amendments to the Parliamentary Powers and Privileges Act and the Public Audit Act. One of the main proposals is to increase fines for non-compliant officers from Sh500,000 to Sh5 million.
Sifuna maintained that only a handful of governors are involved, and praised those who have consistently honoured invitations to appear before the committee. He said he plans to press the committee chair to publicly name those who have repeatedly failed to attend.
The proposal recommends that the Controller of Budget should not approve any withdrawals from county funds where governors ignore or fail to respond to summons issued by the Senate to answer questions on financial management.
The move comes after several governors on Monday ignored committee invitations, prompting senators to warn that vague excuses will no longer be accepted.
Governors and senators argue that transferring funds directly to counties would streamline project delivery, boost accountability, and allow local governments to maintain and upgrade roads more effectively.
At present, counties cannot obtain loans directly unless the National Treasury guarantees the borrowing. The Public Finance Management Act requires the national government to oversee and guarantee borrowing for state bodies, including counties, to safeguard public finances.
Addressing the committee chaired by Homa Bay Senator Moses Kajwang’, Kanja explained that the partnership between the NPS and parliamentary committees is anchored in legal and constitutional provisions that empower the police to assist in oversight functions.
The Council of Governors (CoG) submitted a signed resolution to the Senate Speaker, claiming the legislators had been “consistently cited” in complaints over County Public Accounts Committee (CPAC) proceedings, which county chiefs describe as political witch-hunts, extortion, and intimidation.
The lawmakers, led by Homa Bay Senator Moses Kajwang’ on Tuesday rejected the claims outright, saying the accusations were meant to distract from their constitutional duty to scrutinise how county funds are used.
The committee’s chairperson, Senator Godfrey Osotsi, expressed disappointment after receiving letters of non-attendance from some governors just minutes before the scheduled meeting, while others did not respond to invitations at all.