Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has dismissed a move by the Inspector General of Police to deploy officers for his arrest, calling the action “unwarranted and unnecessary.”
He says the issue is part of a wider dispute between governors and the Senate of Kenya, not a personal matter.
In a statement issued Monday, Sakaja explained that his absence from a Senate watchdog committee was based on advice from the Council of Governors, which recommended that members hold off appearances until broader institutional concerns are addressed.
“The issue at hand is not a personal matter concerning Governor Sakaja Johnson, but one that is being handled collectively by the Council of Governors,” he said.
The governor noted that he has previously engaged multiple Senate committees, including the Lands and Environment Committee, and has actively worked with the County Public Accounts Committee on audit issues dating back to 2015.
He argued that singling out one governor while 29 others face similar summonses is misleading, as most governors either did not appear or declined to address substantive issues in line with the Council’s guidance.
Sakaja also criticised the manner and timing of the police deployment, describing it as unnecessary drama. Despite the rising tension, he expressed willingness to engage with the Senate once the institutional disagreements are resolved, urging both sides to settle the impasse “amicably, respectfully, and through structured dialogue.”
On Monday night, police were searching for Nairobi Governor following an arrest order issued by the Senate watchdog committee for contempt of Parliament.
Regional Police Commander Issa Mohamud confirmed on Monday that law enforcement officers are prepared to enforce the order and take the governor to the Senate.
“His chief of staff was contacted and informed that the only honourable thing could do was to go to the Senate, but he has failed to present himself. We will look for him and do the needful. It is the dignity of the office that he presents himself,” Commander Mohamud said.
