Senate–governors standoff deepens as Onyonka dares county chiefs to report extortion to DCI, EACC
By Aloys Michael, February 10, 2026Kisii Senator Richard Onyonka has challenged governors who claim extortion and harassment by senators to formally report the matter to investigative agencies, including the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), instead of boycotting Senate oversight committees.
Speaking in an interview on a local TV station on Tuesday, February 10, 2026, amid rising tensions between the Senate and the Council of Governors (CoG), Onyonka dismissed claims that governors are being humiliated by senators during appearances before the Senate County Public Accounts Committee (CPAC), arguing that accountability cannot be equated to persecution.
“If you are being extorted, why don’t you go to the DCI or the EACC and report? Why come to television to announce that you will not appear? You have the DCI and the EACC. Just go there and say, ‘Senator so-and-so has taken money from me,” he scoffed.
His remarks come after the CoG announced that its members would no longer appear before the Senate CPAC, citing extortion, intimidation and political witch-hunts by some senators. CoG chair and Wajir Governor Ahmed Abdullahi said governors have been m humiliated during Senate hearings and resolved to suspend their appearances until structured talks are held with Senate leadership.
“The Council of Governors notes with great concern the continuous and escalating extortion, political witch-hunt, harassment, intimidation and humiliation of Excellency governors by certain Senators when they appear before the Public Accounts Committee of the Senate,” Abdullahi said.
“To this effect, the Council has resolved that governors will not appear before the Senate Public Accounts Committee until these concerns are addressed through a structured engagement between the leadership of the Senate and the Council of Governors.”
However, Onyonka insisted that Senate oversight is constitutional and necessary, especially given what he described as glaring cases of questionable expenditure in counties.
“Inside, is that just an example? It is either too harsh. They are embarrassing them. They are humiliating them. But when you have spent Ksh45 million to buy avocado seedlings, and they do not exist, what questions do you want the committee to ask you?” he posed.
Audit queries
The senator cited the Auditor General’s queries where governors are said to have failed to account for millions of shillings spent on projects that could not be verified on the ground.
“This is not theory. It is reality. Just last week, a governor said even if you do not see the seedlings, they are inside, 40 kilometres away. I mean, that is the kind of explanation we are being given,” he said.
Onyonka further questioned why governors portray Senate scrutiny as harassment instead of an opportunity to clarify audit issues.
“The whole story you see from governors about why they cannot be accountable, or what is happening in their houses, is worrying. In one county, Ksh47 million was spent. So yes, questions will be raised,” the senator stated.
The senator maintained that if governors are confident they are law-abiding and have nothing to hide, they should welcome oversight or seek legal redress through proper channels.
“We are legislators, we are law-abiding. Why can’t the governors go to EACC and report and say, ‘We are being harassed’? Why refuse to appear before committees established by the Constitution?” he asked.
The standoff escalated after several governors, including those from Nandi, Laikipia, Lamu, Murang’a and Tharaka Nithi, failed to appear before the Senate Public Investments Committee, prompting senators to issue summons and threaten punitive action.
Senate committee chairpersons have warned that failure to appear undermines accountability and violates constitutional timelines for audit reviews.
While CoG has maintained that it remains committed to prudent use of public resources, Onyonka cautioned that claims of extortion should not be used to shield governors from scrutiny.
“Accountability is not humiliation. If there is extortion, the DCI and EACC exist for that purpose. But refusing to appear before Senate committees raises more questions than answers,” he said.