National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula has called for the immediate introduction of criminal sanctions against governors who defy parliamentary summons, escalating an ongoing standoff between governors and senators.

In a statement on Friday, April 17, 2026, Wetang’ula warned that governors who continue to ignore invitations to appear before parliamentary committees risk facing legal consequences, as the dispute over accountability for public funds intensifies.

“Today I put the country’s 47 governors on notice: they must submit to parliamentary oversight and account for every shilling entrusted to them. For whom much is given, much more is expected. Governors cannot take billions in taxpayers’ money, then turn defiant or evasive when called to explain how it has been used, “he wrote on Facebook.

“I warned that any governor who ignores a summons to appear before parliamentary committees will face legal consequences. I have tasked Rarieda MP Otiende Amollo to lead efforts to craft criminal sanctions for those who refuse to comply.”

He said the growing trend of governors failing to honour summons, particularly to respond to the Auditor-General’s reports on billions allocated to counties, undermines democratic accountability and oversight, adding that Parliament would not retreat from its constitutional duty to scrutinise the use of public resources.

“As Parliament, we will not compromise on oversight. For whom much is given, much more is expected. You cannot take billions of taxpayers’ money and refuse to explain how it has been used,” Wetang’ula said.

He issued a firm directive to all 47 governors, insisting that they must appear before Parliament and account for the expenditure of public funds under their control.

Wetang’ula further cautioned that continued defiance would trigger legal action, signalling a shift towards stricter enforcement mechanisms to compel compliance.

“Governors are not owners of public funds; they are trustees. And when they fall short, they must come before Parliament and answer,” he said.

In a decisive move, the Speaker tasked Rarieda MP Otiende Amollo, a Senior Counsel, with spearheading the formulation of criminal sanctions targeting non-compliant governors.

He asserted that governors are custodians, not owners, of public resources and must be held accountable whenever questions arise regarding their stewardship.

The remarks come amid heightened tensions following recent actions by the Senate County Public Accounts Committee (CPAC), which had ordered the arrest of Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja and Samburu Governor Jonathan Lelelit for failing to appear before it.

The attempted arrest of Sakaja sparked backlash from the Council of Governors (CoG), which accused authorities of using coercive measures and demanded the immediate withdrawal of arrest warrants targeting county leaders.

CoG chair Ahmed Abdullahi argued that any legal action against governors should be based on verified facts and due process, warning against what he termed politically motivated actions that could erode trust between institutions.

The governors also criticised what they described as intimidation and humiliation during Senate oversight sessions, insisting they would only resume appearances once their concerns are addressed.

Despite the standoff, Sakaja later appeared before the committee, where he faced questioning over alleged financial mismanagement, including the hiring of multiple advisors with substantial salaries.