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.
In a letter addressed to the Clerk of the Senate dated Tuesday, March 31, 2026, the governor stated that he was unable to attend the scheduled session on March 25 due to a bereavement.
At least seven prominent facilities, including Bima Towers and the Mombasa Law Courts, were flagged for failing to provide adequate access, locking out PWDs from essential services.
KCAA Director General Emile Arao told the Senate Standing Committee on Roads, Transportation, and Housing on Thursday that a review carried out by the authority identified a large number of structures that do not meet the required standards.
The Senate Committee on Trade, Industrialisation and Tourism had invited CS Kinyanjui on Tuesday to update them on the status of all county industrial parks, but he did not attend, prompting a formal summons
The ministry is now reviewing the placement results and plans to establish a technical team to examine the situation and recommend how schools with very low numbers should be managed if the trend continues.
He explained that the decision was informed by psychosocial, logistical, and cost considerations. Younger learners would face integration challenges if placed in secondary school environments, and using existing primary school infrastructure, including classrooms previously used by Standard Seven and Eight, was more cost-effective than constructing new facilities nationwide.
The resolution, supported by both parties, was defeated 53-47, mostly along partisan lines, reflecting deep divisions in Congress over the scope of presidential war powers.
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.
The development comes as Parliament considers a national law to harmonise revenue collection across all counties.