The Council of Governors (CoG) has named four Senators it accuses of engaging in extortion, intimidation, and political harassment during oversight sessions, escalating an ongoing standoff between county governments and the Senate.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, February 11, the council cited constitutional provisions that establish and protect the devolved system of governance, emphasizing the need for cooperation and mutual respect between the national and county governments.
The governors acknowledged that under Article 96 of the Constitution, the Senate has the mandate to represent county interests and oversee national revenue allocated to counties.
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However, they argued that the manner in which proceedings of the Senate County Public Accounts Committee (CPAC) have been conducted falls short of constitutional standards.
According to the council, several governors have raised concerns over what they described as persistent cases of extortion, political witch-hunts, intimidation, and harassment during their appearances before Senate committees.
The four Senators named in the statement are Moses Kajwang, Edwin Sifuna, Samson Cherargei, and Johnes Mwaruma.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the Senators have been consistently cited as being notorious in these practices,” the resolution read.
As part of its resolutions, the CoG directed that governors will, with immediate effect, stop appearing before the Senate County Public Accounts Committee until the issues raised are conclusively addressed.
The council further demanded the removal of the four named Senators from the affected committees as a condition for restoring confidence, integrity, and fairness in the oversight process.
Additionally, the governors called for an urgent structured engagement forum between the leadership of the Senate and the Council of Governors to agree on clear and transparent modalities for governors’ appearances and to establish safeguards against harassment, extortion, and political persecution.
“The Council of Governors reaffirms its unwavering commitment to accountability and prudent use of public resources, but emphasizes that oversight must be exercised lawfully, ethically, and without abuse of office,” the resolution added.
Senate Pushes Back
The development comes a day after the Senate of Kenya responded to allegations raised by the CoG, dismissing claims of extortion, harassment, and intimidation involving Senate committees as unsubstantiated and inappropriate.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, February 10, Senate Speaker Amason Kingi said the accusations threaten constitutional oversight and undermine accountability in the use of public funds by county governments.
“The Senate of the Republic of Kenya has noted with concern allegations contained in a press statement issued by the Council of Governors (CoG), and subsequently reported in the media, regarding the operations of Senate Committees—specifically the Senate County Public Accounts Committee (CPAC) and the Senate County Public Investments and Special Funds Committee (CPIC),” the statement read.
Kingi expressed concern over the CoG’s call to reconstitute one of the committees, stating that the claims were made without naming those involved or providing evidence.
“The Senate further notes, with grave concern, the purported demand by the Council of Governors for the reconstitution of the County Public Accounts Committee, on the basis of claims of political witch-hunts, harassment, extortion and intimidation allegedly involving four unnamed Members of the Committee,” the statement added.
He also addressed the CoG’s decision to suspend appearances before one committee and restrict engagements with another, warning that such actions could stall constitutional timelines.
“Additionally, the Senate is cognizant of the position taken by the Council of Governors to suspend appearances before the County Public Accounts Committee until structured engagement is held between its leadership and that of the Senate, and to limit appearances before the County Public Investments and Special Funds Committee to once per audit cycle,” the statement continued.
Further, Kingi noted that there are established mechanisms for addressing grievances against Senate committees, should governors have legitimate concerns.
“Should the Council of Governors have concerns regarding the conduct or operations of Senate Committees, established and legitimate institutional channels exist through which such concerns may be formally raised and addressed,” he stated.
While affirming openness to dialogue, the Senate Speaker cautioned against airing allegations publicly without proof.
“While the Senate remains open to structured and constructive dialogue with devolution actors, recourse to public mudslinging and unsubstantiated allegations in the media, unsupported by evidence, is neither appropriate nor conducive to intergovernmental cooperation,” the statement concluded.
The standoff now sets the stage for heightened tensions between county governments and the Senate, with observers warning that prolonged deadlock could disrupt oversight processes and delay accountability timelines for county spending.