NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 10 – The Senate has rejected claims by the Council of Governors (CoG) that its watchdog committees are engaging in political witch-hunts, harassment, and intimidation, insisting that its oversight role over county governments is firmly anchored in the Constitution.
In a statement issued Tuesday, Senate Speaker Amason Kingi expressed concern over allegations attributed to the CoG regarding the conduct of the Senate County Public Accounts Committee (CPAC) and the County Public Investments and Special Funds Committee (CPIC). Governors have reportedly called for the reconstitution of CPAC, citing alleged misconduct by four unnamed members.
The Senate further raised alarm over the CoG’s decision to suspend appearances before CPAC pending structured engagement with Senate leadership, and to limit appearances before CPIC to once per audit cycle.
Speaker Kingi warned that such actions risk undermining constitutional accountability mechanisms, noting that Senate oversight of county governments is not optional but a constitutional obligation.
“The oversight role of the Senate over county governments is firmly anchored in the Constitution,” Kingi said.
He cited Article 96(3) of the Constitution, which mandates the Senate to oversee national revenue allocated to counties, and Article 96(1), which tasks the House with protecting the interests of counties and their governments.
The Senate also referenced Article 229, which requires Parliament to consider and dispose of audit reports from the Auditor-General within three months of receipt, by March 31 each year. According to the Senate, any delays in audit processes directly undermine accountability and the prudent use of public resources.
“Compliance with this constitutional timeline is not optional, and any actions that impede the audit process undermine accountability and prudent use of public resources,” Kingi said.
While affirming its openness to dialogue with devolution stakeholders, the Senate criticised what it termed public mudslinging and unsubstantiated allegations aired through the media, noting that established institutional channels exist for raising concerns over the conduct of Senate committees.
County governors have threatened to stop appearing before the Senate Public Accounts Committee, accusing four unnamed senators of intimidation, harassment, political witch-hunts, and extortion during committee hearings.
Speaking during a press briefing in Kilifi on Monday, CoG chairperson Ahmed Abdullahi said governors had resolved not to appear before the committee chaired by Homabay Senator Moses Kajwang until their concerns are addressed through structured engagement between Senate leadership and the Council of Governors.
“The Council of Governors notes with great concern the continuous and escalating extortion, political witch-hunt, harassment, intimidation, and humiliation of governors by certain senators when they appear before the Public Accounts Committee of the Senate,” Abdullahi said.
He accused some senators of turning oversight hearings into hostile political theatres, alleging that governors are deliberately kept waiting for hours, subjected to intimidation, and pressured through political manoeuvres aimed at serving personal or partisan interests rather than accountability.
