Governors who were scheduled to appear before the Godfrey Osotsi-led Senate County Public Investment and Accounts Committee (CPAC/CPIC) absconded the meeting, prompting senators to threaten the suspension of county funding over what they termed negligence of duty.
The scheduled governors who were to appear on Monday, 9 February 2026, were those of Lamu, Murang'a, Embu, Tharaka Nithi and Laikipia counties.
Senator Eddy Oketch said, "We have a deadline to meet, the action of governors not coming here is the act of making our counties not receive monies to our counties because we will not have accountability."
Senator John Kinyua expressed concern over the impact on citizens, saying, "For example It's unfair to the people of Laikipia Kinyua ‘Let's look for ways to hold a governor as an individual responsible for and not letting the people of a county suffer because of an individual let us punish a governor himself and the Governor should be liable as a person.’’
Senato Samson Cherargei criticised governors for failing to honour Senate summons, stating, "It looks like CPAC and CPIC are having hard times doing their work.’’ He added, ‘’I'm aware that some governors are running away because they are having corruption scandals, and I can tell for sure that the retreat which is done by Governors is not a constitutional obligation. They have gone to retreat to eat and sleep, yet citizens are vanishing in poverty because of corruption.’’
He added, ‘’People in the village are asking some of us to interrogate governors and yes So what? you meet, expose those Governors, what next?’’
Cherargei further remarked, ‘’They should have taken their retreat money and donated it to parents who have not been able to pay for school fees.’’
The senator also told colleagues that, ‘’we are told they are planning to approach party leaders to tell us to go slow on them, we will not buy such intimidation."
He called on investigative and prosecutorial agencies to support the Senate in implementing its resolutions, saying, "EACC, DCI and ODPP should assist us in execution of the recommendations we make in our committees and in the Senate."
Cherargei also proposed punitive measures against witnesses who fail to honour summons, saying, "I request that it should be possible to surcharge those witnesses who fail to appear so that we can reimburse those partners who came only to be told that the committee is cancelled for reasons well known to them."
The UDA-nominated Senator Raphael Chimera urged firmness from the committees, stating, "CPAC and CPIC must be firm and deal with governors decisively and conclusively and let be summoned and be arrested and be brought to the Senate."
The committee chairperson warned that the Senate would be forced to adopt reports from the Office of the Auditor General as presented if governors continue to abscond from committee hearings.
Sen Osotsi also noted that some counties failed to give adequate notice, saying, "The following committee, Lamu County, was particularly unfair; they just sent a letter just 30 Minutes, Laikipia, Tharaka, Murang'a, and Embu are all in Kilifi County for the governor’s retreat.’’
On the other hand, the Council of Governors (CoG) has announced that county chiefs will boycott appearances before the Senate County Public Accounts Committee (CPAC) until concerns over alleged harassment and intimidation by senators are addressed.
In a statement issued Monday after the CPIC address following a governors’ retreat, the Council accused some senators of subjecting governors to “extortion, political witch-hunt, harassment, intimidation and humiliation” during oversight sessions.
"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 County Public Accounts Committee," Chairman, Council of Governors, Ahmed Abdullahi, in a statement said.
At the same time, governors resolved to limit appearances before the Senate County Public Investment Committee to once per audit cycle, citing the burden of multiple summons to discuss investment-related matters affecting counties, municipalities and health facilities.
"We note with concern that Governors are required to appear several times before this committee to discuss investment issues, including various funds in the Counties, municipalities and individual hospitals. In this regard, Governors have therefore resolved that they will only appear once for every audit cycle,’’ Abdullahi said.
Despite the standoff, CoG reaffirmed the governors’ commitment to accountability and prudent use of public resources, but stressed that oversight must be conducted “lawfully, ethically, and without abuse of office.”
‘’The Council of Governors reaffirms its unwavering commitment to accountability and prudent use of public resources, but emphasises that oversight must be exercised lawfully, ethically, and without abuse of office,’ Abdullahi said.
