Governors who choose to ignore the Senate summons will soon find themselves on the wrong side of the law.
Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja has warned that the National Police Service is ready to arrest any governor who fails to appear before the Senate committees without a good reason.
Speaking on Thursday before the Senate’s Public Accounts Committee, Kanja said failing to honor a summons is not only a sign of disrespect but also a breach of the Constitution.
He said the police will not hesitate to act in the event a governor fails to appear before the Senate committee.
“The Constitution requires us to work closely with the Senate to ensure there is accountability in county governments,” Kanja said during the hearing before the Senate’s Public Accounts Committee. “If a governor fails to comply, we are ready, under the instructions of the committee, to arrest them and present them here.”
Kanja said the same will apply to other government officials who will choose to ignore the summons from the Senate committee.
Once arrested, the government officials will be taken through the legal process and then presented before the committee to explain how public funds are being used.
The police boss further assured senators that his officers will support the investigations into the misuse of county funds. He said anyone who is found guilty of stealing or misusing public funds will be prosecuted.
“We are ready to gather evidence and ensure any governor found culpable is prosecuted according to the law,” he said.
This tough warning comes just a few days after the Council of Governors threatened to boycott the County Public Accounts Committee. They claimed they have been intimidated and humiliated during the committee’s previous meetings.
In a statement, the Council of Governors said some of the committees have been treating governors harshly instead of focusing on oversight. They proposed a plan to appear only once during the audit cycle to make it easier for everyone.
However, Kanja’s tough warning is a reminder to governors that skipping the Senate committee’s summons is not an option.
As the standoff continues between the Senate and the governors, Kenyans will be watching closely, hoping that the issue of accountability for county funds will not be a political game, but will lead to better services for the people.
