Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja now faces arrest after the Senate County Public Accounts Committee fined him Sh500,000 and found him in contempt of Parliament for repeatedly ignoring its summons. The committee, chaired by Moses Kajwang’, directed Inspector General Douglas Kanja to ensure the governor is presented before it on Monday, March 30, as scrutiny over the use of billions in county funds intensifies.
The decision follows Sakaja’s failure to appear before the committee despite three invitations and subsequent summons, where he was expected to account for how money allocated to Nairobi City County was spent.
“The IG must arrest and present the Governor before the Committee on Monday, March 30. The time of presenting him shall be communicated,” said Kajwang when delivering the verdict.
The Monday sitting is expected to go beyond the contempt finding, with senators set to determine whether the governor’s conduct amounts to a gross violation of the Constitution, which could raise questions about his suitability to hold office.
If the committee concludes that there was serious breach of the law, it will forward its recommendations to the full House, a move that could place Sakaja in a difficult political position, especially as he eyes the 2027 general election.
Senators said their action was informed by concerns raised in the Auditor General’s report for the 2024/25 financial year, which flagged several questionable expenditures and gaps in accountability.
Edwin Sifuna urged the Senate to take a firm stand, insisting the committee remains the only platform where the governor can be held to account.
“The only place I can face the Governor and demand accountability is in this Senate, before this Committee,” he said, arguing that there is no alternative forum to engage the Governor.
Among the issues raised is Sh840 million recorded as personnel costs, with the Auditor General noting that there were no supporting documents such as beneficiary lists, claim forms, invoices, or approvals presented for audit.
The report also highlighted seven withdrawals totalling Sh1.9 billion from the salary account that were not supported by payroll summaries, registers, payment vouchers, or approvals, and were not processed through the approved payroll system.
Further concern was raised over Sh544 million reported under fuel, oil, and lubricants. Questions emerged over how the funds were used and whether county assets were properly accounted for.
During the same period, the county engaged private contractors for solid waste collection across different zones while also running 56 garbage trucks, which consumed fuel worth Sh124,520,438. However, auditors found no records showing the trucks were assigned to specific zones or actively used, as key documents such as trip sheets, fuel logs, and supervisory reports were missing.
The committee also pointed to Sh15.7 billion spent on solid waste collection, transportation, and disposal, with the Auditor General highlighting major weaknesses in procurement, contract management, operational control, and financial oversight.
Additional scrutiny fell on the hiring of seven advisors earning a combined monthly salary of Sh10 million. The committee said their roles overlap with those of County Executive Committee Members, raising questions about the necessity of the positions.
“The kind of waste the Auditor General has recorded makes me conclude that there should be stoppage of funds for Nairobi County,” said Sifuna.
Kajwang supported the concerns, stating that “All that should have gone wrong in Nairobi County has gone wrong.”
