The Inspector-General of Police, Douglas Kanja, has warned “rogue” governors who are ignoring parliamentary summonses that he will not hesitate to arrest them and present them before the relevant committees.
This latest development comes at a time when governors are engaged in a major dispute over appearing before Senate watchdog committees.
The police chief said that no public officer is above the law, and that his officers are ready to enforce committee summonses.
Appearing before the Senate County Public Accounts Committee — which has been criticised by governors — on Thursday, Mr Kanja said that the National Police Service (NPS) is committed to supporting parliamentary committees in carrying out their oversight duties.
He informed the committee, chaired by Homa Bay Senator Moses Kajwang', that the collaboration between the NPS and parliamentary committees is guided by various legal and constitutional provisions that allow the NPS to participate in the committees' oversight functions, thereby strengthening good governance and accountability.
He added that Article 125 of the Constitution empowers parliamentary committees to summon witnesses and request documents.
Inspector General of the National Police Service Douglas Kanja before the Senate County Public Accounts Committee at Bunge Tower, Nairobi on February 12, 2026.
Photo credit: Dennis Onsongo | Nation Media Group
“I am ready to arrest and present governors who fail to honour summonses by Senate oversight committees, provided you give me the time and date you want them presented before you,” said Mr Kanja.
The IG pointed out that the police are always ready to comply with the committees’ directives, and are also ready and available to provide security for the committees while they carry out their duties during meetings and site visits.
“The County Public Accounts committee, in exercising its powers under Article 125 of the Constitution, may summon county officials or governors to appear before it to respond to audit queries. In instances where they refuse to comply, the Service under the direction of the committee is always ready to arrest and present them before the committee as requested,” he said.
Mr Kanja said that, where the committee establishes that public funds have been misused, the Service is ready and willing to assist with further investigations, evidence gathering and ensuring that any county official or governor found to be at fault is prosecuted in accordance with the law.
The committee wanted to know why the NPS has been slow to implement their requests for errant governors to be arrested and presented before the panel.
“Catch for us the little foxes ruining our vineyard. The little foxes sit in the Council of Governors and public offices yet they want to avoid accountability. Nobody is above the law in this republic,” said Mr Kajwang’.
Nyamira Senator Okong’o Omogeni added: “We want to see actions that act as a deterrent because your mandate also involves prevention of graft and ensuring accountability. there is no way we can hold the officers accountable if they don’t appear before us.”
Kitui Senator Enock Wambua said there are many criminal activities going on in counties where financial documents suddenly go up in flames to cover up theft with examples being Kitui, Migori, Homa Bay and Embu counties.
“We want the directorate of criminal investigations officers to be part of this committee, apart from the EACC, to benefit from further investigations because some of the audit queries are criminal in nature.”
Last month, Senator Kajwang’ narrated how some errant governors are happy paying the Sh500,000 fine imposed after summonses.
The committee has been at loggerheads with several governors over snubbing of committee invites and summonses with the panel last month asking the IG to arrest and present Samburu Governor Lati Lelelit for failing to honour two summonses.
Isiolo Governor Abdi Guyo.
Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group
Other governors who have been in crosshairs with the committee include Isiolo Governor Abdi Guyo, Kisii’s Simba Arati and Abdulswamad Nassir of Mombasa.
Article 125 of the Constitution provides that either the House of Parliament, and any of its committees, has power to summon any person to appear before it for the purpose of giving evidence or providing information.
To give effect to the above powers, Section 18(1) of the Parliamentary Powers and Privileges Act provides that Parliament and its committees shall have the same powers as the High Court with sub-section 3 adding that Parliament or its committee may order the arrest of a person who fails to honour summons.
In the public notice by the Senate Clerk Jeremiah Nyegenye last month, the Senate said governors will no longer be allowed to arbitrarily postpone appearances before watchdog committees.
Going forward, they will be allowed a single postponement but the request has to be done at least a week before the scheduled date of appearance.
County bosses who fail to appear before the committees without justifiable reasons will risk being summoned, a fine of Sh500,000 or in worst cases, issuance of warrant of arrest by the IG to compel notorious governors to appear before the committees.
“The committee will accept only one request for postponement, which it shall deem justifiable, and any subsequent request shall not be granted,” reads the notice.
“Any request for rescheduling should be submitted in writing to the office of the Clerk and copied to the committee not later than seven days prior to the scheduled date of appearance and any request submitted outside this timeline shall not be considered,” added the notice.
