NAIROBI, Kenya Apr 10 – The ugly confrontation between senators and governors witnessed in recent days may persist for months, but its implications for the system of accountability could linger far longer.
What played out in the corridors of Parliament, culminating in the near-physical clash involving Samburu Governor Lati Lelelit, was not merely a breakdown of decorum but a possible breach of the Leadership and Integrity Act.
It was an illustration of a deeper institutional crisis, a growing shift from substantive oversight to political brinkmanship, even as billions of shillings continue to flow to counties with limited scrutiny.
The long-running dispute hinges on a constitutional question of whether governors should personally appear before the Senate’s watchdog committees.
The Council of Governors (CoG) has officially accused the County Public Accounts Committee (CPAC) of being used as a platform for extortion.
Governors claim that some senators solicit bribes in exchange for favorable reports on their county’s financial audits. They have described the environment as one of political witch-hunts and harassment rather than genuine oversight.
County Bosses under the umbrella of the Council of Governors, have argued that summoning them undermines the legal framework that assigns financial accountability to county officials such as chief officers and finance executives.
The Senate, on the other hand, has insisted that governors, as chief executives of county governments, cannot escape political responsibility for how public funds are spent. Backed by its constitutional oversight mandate under Article 96, the House maintains that direct appearances are necessary to enforce accountability.
Yet, political pundits argue while both sides anchor their arguments in law, the unfolding standoff reveals something far less principled, a contest for institutional dominance that is steadily eroding the very accountability it purports to defend.
“The Senate Speaker should pay specific attention to extortion allegations raised by Council of Governors and offer directions consistent with accountability best practice,”stated Dismus Mokua,a presidential politics analyst.
Unaccounted Billions
Each financial year, county governments receive hundreds of billions of shillings in equitable share allocations, conditional grants, and own-source revenue. Reports by the Auditor-General have consistently flagged issues ranging from unsupported expenditures and stalled projects to outright procurement irregularities.
Under normal circumstances, these findings would trigger rigorous interrogation before Senate committees, culminating in recommendations that tighten financial discipline. But the current impasse threatens to derail that process.
Instead of audit queries taking centre stage, the focus has shifted to who should appear, who has authority, and who is overstepping their mandate with billions still unaccounted for.
Public spectacle
The altercation involving Samburu Governor Lati Lelelit recently marked a turning point in the standoff.
The drama unfolded outside the Senate gates at Parliament buildings in Nairobi.Close to eight senators, primarily , intercepted Governor Lelelit.
Amidst the scuffle between the senators and the Governor’s security detail, Lelelit managed to resist and eventually fled the precincts.
What had largely been an exchange of letters, summons, and legal interpretations spilled into the public domain in dramatic and in troubling fashion.
Observers argue that for a Senate that prides itself as the guardian of devolution, the optics of confrontation risk undermining its moral authority.
“Manhandling Governor Lalit is not an accountability process.Competent authorities should establish if the altercation at Parliament Buildings constitutes a breach of the Leadership and Integrity Act,”Mokua noted.
Equally, for governors, defiance framed as resistance may resonate politically but raises legitimate concerns about transparency.
The claims and counterclaims ranging from allegations of intimidation to accusations of extortion have only deepened mistrust. In such an environment, even genuine oversight efforts risk being viewed through a partisan lens.
More than a decade since its inception, devolution remains one of most transformative governance reforms. It has decentralised resources, expanded access to services, and brought government closer to the people.
However, its success has always hinged on one critical pillar, accountability.Without effective oversight, the promise of devolution is hollowed out, reduced to a system where funds are devolved but responsibility is diffused.
Resolving the impasse will require more than public statements and political posturing.
Every shilling allocated to counties is public money. Every audit query represents a potential gap in service delivery be it an incomplete health facility, an undelivered road, or a stalled water project.
As senators and governors lock horns, the risk is that accountability becomes an abstract principle rather than a lived reality.
