Kisii Senator Richard Onyonka has painted a grim picture of corruption in Kenya, alleging that both governors and senators are involved in long-standing schemes to cover up misappropriated public funds.
Speaking candidly, Onyonka claimed that governors routinely pay senators to avoid accountability, suggesting that bribery is common whenever public resources are audited.
“I've always said on TV and in the studio, I've always said this country is just a den of thieves and crooks who share the loot, depending on who has grabbed it and who is disposed to enjoy it,” Onyonka said on Thursday during an interview at Radio Generation.
He added that while governors accuse some senators of extortion, there is also evidence of governors offering money to influence outcomes.
Onyonka explained that the amounts offered often depend on the scale of funds misappropriated.
“When a governor has stolen from the audited books, and the auditor general has said you stole 120 million, there's a figure which the governor starts offering before you have even interrogated the books. That could be as low as 2 million to as high as 10 million. It depends, because they don't want us to pronounce them what they have done, and what they have done is as shocking as anything can be,” he said.
The senator further claimed that meetings to discuss these arrangements sometimes occur in hotels or even in the Senate basement. “If you have not done anything wrong, why would you give me money?” he questioned, highlighting what he sees as the absurdity of the system.
When asked if he had personally received offers from governors, Onyonka confirmed. “Yes. I’m a Kenyan. I have taken Sh100,000 for fuel. I take that, but I display it is stolen money. I'm only handling stolen property, but nobody watches me handling stolen property,” he said, illustrating his point about the pervasive corruption he alleges exists within the political system.
The allegations come as governors escalate their standoff with the Senate, formally identifying four senators they accuse of harassment and intimidation during oversight sessions.
The Council of Governors (CoG) submitted a signed resolution to the Senate Speaker, claiming the legislators had been “consistently cited” in complaints over County Public Accounts Committee (CPAC) proceedings, which county chiefs describe as political witch-hunts, extortion, and intimidation.
The council is demanding the removal of the senators from the affected committees as a condition for restoring confidence and fairness in the oversight process. Governors also reaffirmed their boycott of CPAC, suspending appearances until their concerns are addressed.
“As requested in our earlier correspondence, we request an urgent engagement with the leadership of the Senate at the earliest opportunity,” CoG chairperson said in a letter to the Speaker. “We reiterate our commitment to protecting and defending devolution and good governance as espoused in our Constitution.”
The standoff began after governors announced in Mombasa that they would suspend appearances before CPAC and limit attendance before the County Public Investments and Special Funds Committee (CPIC) to once per audit cycle, citing harassment by some senators. Senators denied the allegations, insisting that accountability and appearances before committees are nonnegotiable.
Speaker Kingi dismissed the governors’ attempt to suspend appearances, warning that any move undermining scrutiny of county spending threatens accountability and devolution.
“The Senate wishes to reiterate that its oversight role over county governments is firmly anchored in the Constitution,” he said, citing Article 96, which gives the House authority to oversee national revenue allocated to counties.
Senate Majority Leader Aaron Cheruyiot emphasized that governors’ appearances before Senate committees are a constitutional obligation. “It's not a privilege to be waived at will, particularly when there are serious accountability matters at stake across the country. We can discuss any matter as a going concern, never as a threat to non-appearance,” he said.
Homa Bay Senator Moses Kajwang, who chairs CPAC, rejected the claims by CoG. “In their statement, they imply they will only appear before Senate oversight committees under their terms. They want to choose who sits in the committees, when they should appear, and how they should be questioned. I have never seen a case where suspects demand to empanel the bench,” he said.
“Kenyans are not foolish; they have seen the plunder in counties, and they can tell that governors are bullying the Senate to stop asking hard questions.”
The CoG stressed that its action should not be interpreted as resistance to accountability and said it fully recognises the Senate’s constitutional mandate. Governors cited the 2022 Supreme Court ruling affirming the Senate’s authority to summon them but argued that some oversight sessions have fallen short of constitutional standards.
They proposed a structured intergovernmental forum to agree on clear procedures, respectful hearings, safeguards against political persecution, and timelines that avoid repeated summons over the same audit matters.
“The Council of Governors reaffirms its unwavering commitment to accountability and prudent use of public resources,” the resolution states.
“However, oversight must be exercised lawfully, ethically and without abuse of office.” Governors anchored their position on Articles 6(2), 174, and 189 of the Constitution, which require cooperation, consultation, and mutual respect between national and county levels. Despite the hardline stance, the council remains open to dialogue and institutional solutions.
