Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna has proposed new regulations to compel governors to honor Senate Public Accounts Committee invitations. He spoke during Senate proceedings on Tuesday, March 17, 2026. Sifuna suggested the House should stop releasing funds to counties whose governors repeatedly miss audit query appearances. His proposal targets governors snubbing committee summons. This practice undermines constitutional oversight, he says. It also delays accountability for public funds.
“We need to stop funds going to some of these people’s counties so that they can appear,” Sifuna stated on the floor of the House. His remarks follow frustration over Samburu Governor Lati Lelelit’s continued absence. The governor recently skipped a scheduled committee appearance. He was reportedly present at a ruling party National Governing Council meeting at State House that same day. He should have been answering audit queries before senators.
The Samburu Governor Case
Samburu Governor Lati Lelelit failed to appear before the Senate County Public Accounts Committee. He ignored repeated summons to answer audit queries. The no-show sparked outrage among committee members. They shifted their focus from the governor to the Inspector General of Police. The committee had directed the IG as early as December 2025 to arrest and present the governor. Lelelit had ignored multiple invitations.
“We told the Inspector General in no uncertain terms to find, arrest and produce the Governor before this committee today,” committee chair Moses Kajwang stated. “Has the IG complied? We do not have anyone from the IG. That means the person in contempt of Parliament, besides the Governor, is the Inspector General of Police.”
The Office of the Inspector General later wrote asking for more time to trace the Samburu county boss. This claim drew sharp reactions. It emerged the governor was attending a highly publicised political meeting at State House. This suggests the difficulty in locating him was not insurmountable.
Sifuna’s Broader Demand
Sifuna did not limit his demand to the Samburu governor alone. He called for law enforcement to take action against multiple county chiefs who have avoided accountability. “We want the IG of Police to make good to this house to bring the Samburu Governor to the Senate, followed by the Governor of Nairobi, Johnson Sakaja,” he said.
The mention of Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja signals widening frustration. Senators perceive a pattern of governors snubbing committee summons. Sakaja has faced previous questions over county financial management. His attendance record has been mixed compared to some other governors.
Read Also
Senate Rejects Governors’ Boycott, Insists Oversight Non-Negotiable
COG Maintains Stance on Senate Summons, Demands Dignity
Legal Framework Supports Senate Powers
The Supreme Court previously settled the question of Senate summoning powers. In a 2022 judgment, the court held the Senate is constitutionally empowered to summon governors. They must appear before it or any of its committees. The purpose is to answer questions and provide requisite information regarding county financial management.
“The Senate was established to perform fundamental roles of governance concerning counties: legislative, budgetary and oversight,” the court ruled. “There is no way by which the Senate could perform such an important role without having the powers to summon a governor and to require him/her to provide answers.”
The court further clarified the Senate’s oversight authority. It is not limited to nationally allocated revenue. It extends to locally generated revenue by counties. This ruling effectively nullifies arguments that governors are only answerable to county assemblies on local revenue matters.
County Assemblies as First Tier Oversight
The Supreme Court established a clear hierarchy in oversight responsibilities. County assemblies provide the first tier of oversight over county government revenue. This applies to both nationally allocated and locally generated funds. The Senate provides the second and final tier of oversight.
This two-tier system ensures comprehensive accountability. However, it also creates tension when governors resist appearing before Senate committees. Some argue that county assemblies should handle all oversight. The Council of Governors has previously questioned the frequency of Senate summons. Chair Ahmed Abdullahi asked, “Why must a governor go there five times? When is he going to manage the county?”
History of Standoffs Between Senate and Governors
The current standoff is not new. In February 2026, the Council of Governors suspended appearances before Senate audit committees. They accused unnamed members of extortion, harassment, and witch-hunts. The Senate rejected these claims. Speaker Amason Kingi stated the oversight mandate is constitutional and cannot be curtailed.
Senate Public Accounts Committee chairman Moses Kajwang dismissed the governors’ allegations as false and diversionary. “In their statement, they imply they will only appear before Senate oversight committees under their terms. They want to choose who sits in the committees, when they should appear, and how they should be questioned. I have never seen a case where suspects demand to empanel the bench,” Kajwang said.
Earlier Precedent for Funds Cut
Sifuna’s proposal to stop funds for non-compliant governors has precedent. In 2014, the Senate passed a resolution recommending that the Cabinet Secretary for Treasury halt transfers to counties whose governors declined summons. The resolution also directed the Controller of Budget to withhold approval for withdrawal of public funds by those county governments.
The High Court later found some aspects of that resolution unconstitutional. However, the Supreme Court has since affirmed that the Senate has broad powers to enforce its oversight mandate. The question of what specific sanctions are permissible remains an area of legal debate.
Audit Concerns Persist Across Counties
The urgency of oversight is underscored by persistent audit queries. In Samburu County, the audit covered the county water company, Maralal Municipality, and two major hospitals for the 2024/2025 financial year. The Samburu Water and Sanitation Company received a disclaimer of opinion from the auditor general. Auditors were denied key financial records and supporting schedules.
Committee Vice Chair Senator Eddy Oketch warned that the Senate would not tolerate what he described as a pattern of administrative negligence and deliberate obstruction of oversight. The tension escalated immediately when the committee turned to SAWASCO’s missing records.
Political Reactions and Next Steps
Sifuna’s proposal has reignited debate about the balance between executive authority at the county level and legislative oversight at the national level. The Council of Governors maintains that governors are committed to accountability. However, they will not accept excessive summons that disrupt governance.
Bungoma Governor Kenneth Lusaka emphasized that county chiefs seek constructive engagement rather than humiliation. “We want dignity.,We want the Senate to go back to its original form, where it’s meant to be. We are supposed to have an interaction, not harassment, not humiliation, and not falsehoods,” he stated.
The Senate leadership has remained firm. Speaker Kingi previously stated that the Senate cannot yield or concede its oversight role. “It is a solemn trust invested in the Senate, which we shall continue to discharge faithfully and without fear or favor,” he said.
Whether Sifuna’s proposal gains sufficient support to become formal Senate policy remains uncertain. However, the growing frustration with governors snubbing committee summons suggests the push for stronger enforcement mechanisms will continue.
