Lobbyists slam governors for ignoring Senate summons
By Aloys Michael, February 17, 2026Civil society organisations aligned with the Okoa Uchumi Campaign and the National Integrity Alliance (NIA) have criticised the Council of Governors (CoG) for suspending appearances before the Senate County Public Accounts Committee (CPAC).
In a joint statement released on Monday, February 16, 2026, the lobby groups warned that the decision could weaken constitutional oversight of county governments and erode public accountability.
While urging governors to resume cooperation with the Senate committee, the organisations also called for swift, independent investigations into the misconduct claims cited as justification for the boycott.
“The CoG’s resolution to boycott appearances before CPAC signals a troubling trend: an attempt to evade constitutionally mandated accountability. Under Articles 96 and 125, respectively, the Senate has the authority to exercise oversight over national revenue allocated to county governments and to summon any person to appear before it,” the statement read.
The 18 lobbyists include: The Institute for Social Accountability (TISA), Transparency International Kenya, Kenya Human Rights Commission, Inuka Kenya Ni Sisi, Mzalendo Trust, Katiba Institute, International Commission of Jurists (Kenyan Section), National Taxpayers Association, Social Justice Centre Working Group, Crawn Trust, EATGN, Econews Africa, Institute of Public Finance Kenya, Kenya Tuitakayo, Okoa Mombasa, Amnesty International Kenya, Bunge Mashinani Initiative, and Twaweza East Africa.
They noted that under Articles 96 and 125 of the Constitution, the Senate has authority to oversee national revenue allocated to counties and to summon any person to appear before it.
“This does not, however, mean that allegations of misconduct should be ignored. They must be independently investigated but cannot be used as a means to justify the avoidance of oversight, as in this instance.”
The organisations pointed to ongoing red flags from the Office of the Auditor General regarding claimed misappropriation of public resources and prolonged audit backlogs, cautioning that these shortcomings continue to erode financial oversight at both the national and county tiers.
They also connected the impasse to waning public confidence in governance, observing that recent youth-driven civic mobilisations have underscored growing dissatisfaction with transparency, accountability, and the quality of public services.
As part of their proposals, the groups urged the Council of Governors (CoG) to formally lodge its complaints with the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission and called on the Senate of Kenya to initiate disciplinary measures in response to the accusations.
In addition, they appealed to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) to fast-track investigations and prosecutions of corruption and economic crimes arising from audit findings and parliamentary oversight.
The lobby groups cautioned that inaction by oversight and investigative bodies could prompt citizens to pursue civic action and court remedies to enforce Chapter Six of the Constitution, which addresses leadership and integrity standards.