Senate summons Governor Kihika over missing fishermen petition after ignoring four invitations

Nakuru Governor Susan Kihika has been ordered to appear before the Senate Committee on National Security, Defence and Foreign Relations later this month after repeatedly failing to respond to invitations linked to a petition on the alleged disappearance of young fishermen at Lake Nakuru National Park.

The committee issued the summons during a meeting at Bunge Tower on Thursday, expressing concern over Kihika's failure to honour four separate invitations to appear before lawmakers handling the matter.

Committee Chairperson Senator Fatuma Dullo directed the governor to appear before the committee on June 25, saying her continued absence had frustrated efforts to address concerns raised in the petition and undermined Parliament's oversight responsibilities.

The petition centres on claims that young fishermen operating around Lake Nakuru National Park disappeared under unclear circumstances, prompting senators to seek explanations from various government agencies and county authorities.

During Thursday's session, the Kenya Fisheries Service (KeFS), through Director General Daisy Muriuki, presented findings from a fish sampling exercise conducted in Lake Nakuru following earlier directions by the committee.

However, the report immediately came under criticism from the petitioner, who argued that the exercise was carried out without the involvement of key stakeholders and did not follow the committee's instructions.

According to the petitioner, the sampling process and the resulting report were undertaken solely by KeFS, leaving out other parties expected to participate in the assessment.

The petitioner urged senators not to adopt the report, insisting that a broader and more inclusive review involving all relevant stakeholders should be conducted before any conclusions are reached.

Following the concerns raised, the committee resolved to convene a joint meeting bringing together all parties connected to the matter in an effort to establish a common understanding of the issues and provide a basis for further deliberations.

Those expected to attend include the Cabinet Secretaries for Tourism and Wildlife and Interior and National Administration, officials from the Nakuru County Government, the Kenya Fisheries Service, the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA), the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR), and the petitioner.

The committee said the meeting will help gather views from all stakeholders and pave the way for the preparation of a comprehensive report that will guide its consideration of the petition and any recommendations arising from the inquiry.