IG Kanja says police ready to arrest Governors who ignore Senate summons

The Senate and Council of Governors (CoG) standoff intensified on Thursday, with Senate Speaker Amason Kingi dismissing the county bosses’ threat to boycott committee summons as unacceptable. 

This as Senators accused of soliciting bribes and harassing Governors turned the heat on their accusers, demanding that Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja arrest Governors who have refused to appear before the committee.

IG Kanja appeared before the committee to clarify what action would be taken against Governors who have failed to honour summons, including a recent resolution by 40 Governors to boycott the sessions entirely.

“There are a few Governors who have decided they won’t come before Parliament. Where summoned, there could be recourse and the IG can direct that a Governor be arrested," CPAC Chairperson Moses Kajwang stated. 

“In instances where they refuse to comply, the Service, under the direction of the committee, is always ready to effect arrests," IG Kanja noted. 

Kajwang and Senators Samson Cherargei, Edwin Sifuna and Johnes Mwaruma had earlier been accused by Governors of extortion and intimidating them during appearances. The Senators have dismissed the claims, insisting Governors must be held accountable.

“Catch for us the foxes, the little foxes that ruin the vineyards in bloom. These foxes sit in the Council of Governors, in counties, and even in state offices," Kajwang stated.

“Can we have the Sergeant-at-Arms restrain governors who want to run away? Governor Muthomi Njuki came, saw things were hot, and ran away," Cherargei pointed out. 

While acknowledging receipt of the complaints letter from the Council of Governors, Senate Speaker Amason Kingi, in a communication to the House, termed the protest by Governors and the resolution to appear once for every audit cycle unacceptable.

“The constitutional oversight mandate is exercised by the Senate as often as whenever the Senate, in its judgment, considers appropriate, and any purported restriction or limitation of this mandate is unconstitutional," Kingi remarked. 

While accepting a meeting with the Governors later this month, Kingi however said that the condition preceding the meeting is that any Governor invited or summoned to appear before any committee of the Senate must do so without fail, or the law shall take its course.