Nairobi County Governor Johnson Sakaja has formally explained his absence before the Senate County Public Accounts Committee (CPAC), citing personal circumstances while reaffirming his commitment to appear before the committee.
In a letter addressed to the Clerk of the Senate dated Tuesday, March 31, 2026, the governor stated that he was unable to attend the scheduled session on March 25 due to a bereavement.
“I regret that I was unable to appear before the County Public Accounts Committee on Wednesday. 25th March 2026, as I was attending the funeral service of a close relative,” Sakaja said.
Sakaja acknowledged the ongoing tensions between the Council of Governors and the Senate, which have contributed to a broader stalemate affecting county appearances before Senate committees.
Despite this, he emphasized his willingness to cooperate with parliamentary oversight processes.
“I am also aware of the pending stalemate between the Council of Governors and the Senate. Notwithstanding this situation, I remain available to Parliament as a law-abiding citizen, former Senator and serving Governor who upholds the Constitution and supports parliamentary processes,” Sakaja added.
The governor confirmed that he remains ready to appear before the committee at a mutually agreed date.
“As efforts continue to resolve the stalemate, I wish to confirm my availability to appear before the Committee on a convenient date for members, ” Sakaja said.
He further revealed that he had taken steps to engage Senate leadership directly, including appearing in person at Parliament buildings to reinforce his position.
“Further, I presented myself in person at the Senate on Tuesday, 31st March 2026, where I held discussions with yourself, as well as the Leaders of Majority and Minority, to affirm this position.”
On the audit status of Nairobi City County, Sakaja highlighted progress made in addressing long-standing financial queries, noting improvements in audit outcomes during his tenure.
“Significant progress has been made in addressing outstanding audit queries from the financial year 2014/2015 to the most recent one. These efforts have led to improvement in the county's audit outcome from a disclaimer audit opinion to a qualified audit opinion during my tenure.”
He reiterated the county government’s commitment to accountability and cooperation with oversight institutions.
“Please be assured the Nairobi City County Government and I in my capacity as the Governor, remain committed to supporting the Senate in the execution of its constitutional mandate.”