The Council of Governors (CoG) has publicly named four senators it accuses of intimidating and attempting to extort governors appearing before the Senate County Public Accounts Committee (CPAC), escalating tensions between county chiefs and the Senate.
In a statement issued after a meeting on Wednesday, the CoG singled out CPAC Chairperson Moses Kajwang (Homa Bay), Vice-Chairperson Johnes Mwaruma (Taita Taveta), Edwin Sifuna (Nairobi), and Samson Cherargei (Nandi), alleging that they have been “notorious” for misconduct during oversight sessions.
The governors accused the lawmakers of engaging in extortion, political witch hunts, intimidation, and harassment of county chiefs summoned to respond to audit queries before the powerful Senate oversight committee.
According to the Council, the four senators have been “consistently cited” in complaints raised by governors regarding the conduct of CPAC proceedings.
As part of resolutions adopted during the meeting, the governors announced that they will no longer honor summons from the Senate County Public Accounts Committee until their concerns are addressed.
“Governors shall, with immediate effect, not appear before the Senate County Public Accounts Committee (CPAC) until the concerns raised herein are adequately and conclusively addressed,” said CoG.
Demand for Removal of Four Senators
Among the key demands tabled by the Council is the removal of the four named senators from the relevant oversight committees. The governors argue that this step is necessary to restore confidence in the Senate’s oversight role.
“The Council demands the removal of the four named Senators from the affected committees as a prerequisite to restoring confidence, integrity, and fairness in the oversight process,” the statement said.
The CoG maintains that oversight must remain firm but fair and that county leaders should not face what they describe as harassment or politically motivated targeting during committee hearings.
Beyond suspending appearances, the governors have called for the urgent convening of a structured engagement forum between Senate leadership and the Council of Governors.
They propose formal talks to establish clear, transparent, and respectful procedures for governors appearing before Senate committees. The governors also want safeguards put in place to prevent harassment, extortion, and political persecution during oversight proceedings.
