Under siege? Police seek Sakaja for arrest
Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja.
Police are seeking to arrest Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja, Regional Police Commander Issa Mohamud has confirmed.
Together with his Samburu counterpart Lati Lelelit, whom the police are separately seeking, they are wanted for contempt of snubbing several summons by the County Public Accounts Committee (CPAC).
The two had also been each fined Sh500,000 for giving the summon a wide berth.
Should they be arrested, they are to be presented before the Homa Bay Senator Moses Kajwang-led committee.
The County Public Accounts Committee (CPAC) had directed Inspector-General of Police Douglas Kanja to arrest the two county bosses and present them before it.
While addressing the media Monday evening, Mr Mohamud said they had been looking for the governor all day to effect the order, but had not found him.
"He was told to appear today (Monday). He never honoured the summons," he said. "We're here to present the governor before the Senate. It's a legal obligation under the Constitution."
Mr Sakaja is among 29 governors facing the threat of being declared unfit to hold public office by Parliament, in an escalating standoff between the Senate and the Council of Governors (CoG) over accountability hearings. It follows more than a month of paralysis in oversight activities of the Senate County Public Accounts Committee, after governors declined to appear before it to account for the use of public funds.
Last Wednesday, CPAC chairperson Moses Kajwang’ read the county bosses the riot act. He said the committee would escalate action beyond fines and arrest warrants, and could recommend that non-compliant governors be declared in gross violation of the Constitution, effectively rendering them unfit to hold public office.
Other governors in the crosshairs include Muthomi Njuki (Tharaka Nithi), Simba Arati (Kisii), Ahmed Abdullahi (Wajir), Fernandes Barasa (Kakamega), Gladys Wanga (Homa Bay), Erick Mutai (Kericho) and Joseph ole Lenku (Kajiado).
The governors and two senate committees have been on a warring path, with claims of bribery standing between the county chiefs and their watchdogs.
The county bosses had resolved to boycott the summons until the members they accuse of corruption are removed.
The governors reportedly met in a closed-door meeting in Kilifi County last month to discuss their grievances against the Senate County Public Accounts (CPAC) and County Public Investments and Special Funds (CPISF) committees.
The meeting concluded with a resolution to snub the summons by the CPAC, which they said, “should be reconstituted immediately".
The development rekindled memories of the bribery scandal that forced the reconstitution of the National Assembly Public Accounts Committee in 2015.
The county bosses had resolved to boycott summons until the members they accuse of corruption are removed.
The governors reportedly met in a closed-door meeting in Kilifi County last month to discuss their grievances against the Senate County Public Accounts (CPAC) and County Public Investments and Special Funds committees.
The meeting concluded with a resolution to snub summons by the CPAC, which they said, “should be reconstituted immediately".
The development rekindled memories of the bribery scandal that forced the reconstitution of the National Assembly Public Accounts Committee in 2015.
Follow our WhatsApp channel for breaking news updates and more stories like this.
Additional report by Collins Omulo
