Senators rope in IG Kanja to arrest governors snubbing summons
By Rehab Kinuthia, February 13, 2026The Senate has warned that it will invoke its constitutional powers and use all available avenues to arrest governors who fail to appear before committees of the County Public Accounts Committee (CPAK).
This comes even as the county chief maintains that they will not honour the August House summons to answer the audit queries, citing intimidation, embarrassment and extortion by some legislators.
However, the senators have dared the county bosses to present evidence to the House’s leadership and investigating agencies such as the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) for further action.
Speaking on Friday, February 13, 2026, the Senate Chairperson of the Justice and Legal Affairs Committee and Bomet Senator, Hillary Sigei, said that governors should not run away from accountability.
“I am aware they have alleged that we have been harassing and embarrassing them, but the embarrassment is self-inflicted. If you have stolen public resources and the Auditor-General has flagged it, and you are unable to explain yourself, that is your own embarrassment. We will continue asking those questions,” Sigei said.
He cited Article 125 of the Constitution, noting that it grants the Senate powers equivalent to those of the High Court, including the authority to establish committees and summon governors to provide evidence and information.
“This mandate is similar to that of the High Court, and we will use all government agencies to ensure governors are arrested and brought before the Senate to answer questions on the theft of public resources,” he explained.
Meanwhile, Inspector-General of Police Douglas Kanja appeared before the committee to clarify the action that would be taken against governors who have failed to honour Senate summons, including a recent resolution by 40 governors to boycott the sessions entirely.
Kanja told the committee that the National Police Service (NPS), acting on instructions from the Senate, would be ready to effect arrests of governors who defy summons to appear before Senate committees.
Senate Speaker Amason Kingi, while addressing the House, said that although the Senate had agreed to hold a consultative meeting with governors later this month, the engagement would be conditional.
CPAC chairperson Senator Moses 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 that governors must be held accountable.