Senate leadership on Tuesday criticized governors who are threatening to boycott Senate summons, insisting that appearances before the Upper House and its committees are mandatory and cannot be negotiated or used as leverage.
Speaking during plenary, Senate Majority Leader Aaron Cheruiyot dismissed claims made by the Council of Governors (CoG) that some senators were using committee summons to extort county officials. He argued that such allegations do not justify failing to appear when public funds are under scrutiny.
“Governors’ appearances before the Senate is a constitutional dictate. It’s not a previledge to be waived at will, particularly when there are serious accountability matters at stake across the country. We can discuss any matter as a going concern, never as a threat to non-appearance,” Cheruiyot stated.
Cheruiyot asserted that oversight by the Senate is a constitutional obligation and cautioned governors against framing accountability processes as optional. He maintained that the Senate has the authority to summon any public officer involved in the management of public resources at any time.
“We have a constitutional duty to summon any public servant – anybody who interacts with public funds. We can summon them to this house at any time, any period, day or night, in the pursuit of justice for the people of this republic,” the Majority Leader said.
He criticized what he termed political grandstanding by governors, accusing some of addressing the Senate from outside Parliament rather than following established procedures.
“If you have a specific complaint about any individual or a Senate committee, there are established procedures to address that. We cannot be addressed from hotels in Mombasa by individuals claiming to be excellencies when their conduct is anything but excellent,” he charged.
Cheruiyot further challenged governors alleging extortion to submit themselves to scrutiny, arguing that confidence in their innocence should lead to cooperation with oversight institutions.
“If, as a Governor, you know that you have done nothing wrong, why are you allowing yourself to be extorted? If you are confident in your innocence, and you are clean, then simply appear in the House and answer the questions.” he said.
Senate Minority Leader Steward Madzayo supported Cheruiyot, rejecting allegations that Senate committees were compromised. He stated that the House has confidence in its committees and their leadership.
Madzayo described the claims of senators soliciting bribes from governors as serious accusations that must be substantiated through proper legal channels.
He also hit out at governors for attempting to dictate how the Senate conducts its internal affairs, including committee composition.
“Governors cannot decide which senators serve on committees or who has the authority to summon them. That conduct undermines the Constitution and the separation of powers,” Madzayo remarked.
Senate Speaker Amason Kingi reinforced the leadership’s stance, urging governors to use formal dispute resolution mechanisms instead of threatening to boycott committee proceedings.
“Should the Council of Governors have concerns regarding the conduct or operations of Senate Committees, established and legitimate institutional channels exist through which such concerns may be formally raised and addressed,” Kingi stated.
The Speaker underscored the Senate’s commitment to its constitutional oversight role, asserting that the House would not waver in ensuring accountability regarding the use of county allocations.
“The Senate remains committed to fulfilling its constitutional mandate and ensuring that oversight over public funds allocated to county governments remains robust, objective and timely,” he affirmed.
Senate committee leadership has vowed to continue with scheduled hearings involving governors, warning that failure to honor summons could lead to consequences.
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